Intermediate Grades Reading List

South Orange-Maplewood School District Summer Reading

2011-2012

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Intermediate Grades: 3-5 ADVENTURE

GUTMAN, DAN. Never Say Genius

As their cross-country journey with their parents continues through the Midwest, the precocious brother and sister uncover a secret

government plot to use “YAGs” or Young American Geniuses, to solve the complex problems of the nation, and find that they are on the list.

Suddenly, their 3,000 mile road trip becomes a lot more interesting.

also: Mission Unstoppable (#1 of the Genius Files)

BIOGRAPHY

D’AGNESE, JOSEPH. Blockhead: The Life of Fibonacci

Leonardo does his math problems so quickly that he has plenty of time to look out the window and count other things in nature. His

teacher, however, chastises him for daydreaming and the other students call him a "blockhead."

FLEMING, CANDACE. Amelia Lost: the Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart

A chilling recounting of Earhart’s final flight and the search that followed—Fleming seeks to uncover the “history in the hype,” pointing

out numerous examples in which Earhart took an active role in mythologizing her own life.

HOOSE, PHILLIP. Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice

Presents an account of fifteen-year-old Claudette Colvin, an African-American girl who refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a

segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama, nine months before Rosa Parks, and covers her role in a crucial civil rights case.

SAY, ALLEN. Drawing From Memory

Caldecott Medalist Allen Say presents a stunning graphic novel chronicling his journey as an artist during WWII, when he apprenticed

under Noro Shinpei, Japan's premier cartoonist. DRAWING FROM MEMORY is Allen Say's own story of his path to becoming the

renowned artist he is today.

EARLY READER

SCHNEIDER, JOSH. Tales for Very Picky Eaters

Does lumpy oatmeal make you gag? How about broccoli? Eggs too slimly for you? If you answered yes then this book is for you.


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FANTASY

JENKINS, EMILY. Toys Come Home

Do you want to know what toys do when you are not home? This book is perfect for reading aloud to the whole family. In this stand alone

prequel to Toys Go Out and Toys Dance Party, six linked stories tell how Lumphy, StingRay, and Plastic become part of a little girl's toy

collection and follow their adventures as they make friends with some of her other toys and try to navigate in the world of

real people.

also: Toys Go Out and Toys Dance Party

MARTIN, ANN. Runaway Dolls

Best friends Annabelle and Tiffany risk placing all of dollkind in danger when they run away while trying to prevent Tilly from being sent

back to London before they can determine if she is Annabelle's long-lost baby sister.

also: Doll People and The Meanest Doll in the World

MELOY, COLIN. Wildwood

When her baby brother is kidnapped by crows, seventh-grader Prue McKeel ventures into the forbidden Impassable Wilderness--a

dangerous and magical forest in the middle of Portland, Oregon--and soon finds herself involved in a war among the various inhabitants.

SCHLITZ, LAURA AMY. Night Fairy

Flory is a night fairy who’s still getting used to her beautiful wings when an encounter with a bat makes her unable to fly. Dropped in a

strange garden she has to make it on her own.

URSU, ANNE. Breadcrumbs

Hazel's mom is pushing her to make some female friends, and Jack is more interested in hanging out with his male friends than with

Hazel. Enjoy this story and its magical twists and turns when Jack is taken away and Hazel is the one to rescue him!

FICTION

ANGLEBERGER, TOM. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

Tommy and his friends think that Dwight is a weirdo who’s “always talking about robots or spiders or something.” In true Dwight fashion,

he shows up at school one day brandishing a little origami Yoda finger puppet.


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also: Darth Paper Strikes Back; Fake Moustache; Horton Halfpott

BIRDSALL, JEANNE. The Penderwicks at Point Mouette

When summer comes around, it's off to the beach for Rosalind . . . and off to Maine with Aunt Claire for the rest of the Penderwick girls, as well as their

old friend, Jeffrey.

also: The Penderwicks; The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

CLEMENTS, ANDREW. Troublemaker

When his older brother gets in serious trouble, sixth-grader Clay decides to change his own mischief-making ways, but he cannot seem to

shake his reputation as a troublemaker.

also: We the Children and Extra Credit

HENKES, KEVIN. Junonia

Alice and her parents spend the week of Alice's tenth birthday as they always do on Sanibel Island, Florida, but Alice gets upset when she

discovers some of the people who are always there are missing and new ones have arrived, and Alice wants things to be like they have

always been.

PALACIO, R. J. Wonder

Ten-year-old Auggie Pullman, who was born with extreme facial abnormalities and was not expected to survive, goes from being home-

schooled to entering fifth grade at a private middle school in Manhattan, which entails enduring the taunting and fear of his classmates as

he struggles to be seen as just another student.

PARATORE, COLEEN. Sweet and Sunny

Despite facing a host of problems, old and new, optimistic third-grader Sunny continues her quest to create a national Kid's Day and

improve other holidays, especially the upcoming Valentine's Day, while bringing joy to those around her.

also: Sunny Holiday

RASCHKA, CHRISTOPHER. Seriously Norman

Why are grown-ups so insane? That's the question Leonard, Norman, Anna and Emma (the twins) try to answer with the help of Norman's

new tutor, Balthazar Birdsong (who is also fairly nuts).

SCHMIDT, GARY D. Okay for Now


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This book weaves multiple themes in a story filled with unusual characters and invaluable lessons about love, creativity, and survival.

SELZNICK, BRIAN. Wonderstruck

Written by the author of Hugo Cabret, this book which is told in words and pictures with over 400 pages of artwork is Rosie and Ben’s

story of their search for what is missing in their lives. What happens will surprise you.

also: The Invention of Hugo Cabret

SHANG, WENDY WAN-LONG. The Great Wall of Lucy Wu

Lucy knows that sixth grade is going to be the best year ever: she’s getting her own room (finally) now that her sister is off to college and she

and her best friend Madison are ready to rule the basketball courts.

VAIL, RACHEL. Justin Case

It’s the summer after third grade, and Justin has nothing to worry about, except when his bravery is tested. When he goes away to camp for

the summer, he gets to experience all of the new and interesting things the other kids do: bugs, riding the bus to camp everyday, mess hall

food and flip-flops. Will Justin be brave enough to take on the summer before entering fourth grade?

WEEKS, SARAH. Pie

Family and friendship couldn’t be more important after Alice’s Aunt Polly passes away. But what happened to Aunt Polly’s famous pie

recipe? Did she leave it in a will to somebody? Everyone in town is trying to be the winner in the next pie-contest, including Alice’s mother

and some of her friends.

ZIMMER, TRACIE VAUGHN. Reaching for Sun

Josie faces lots of challenges, including cerebral palsy, social isolation, and bulldozers tearing up her neighborhood. Then she meets Jordan,

a geeky kid who brings new ideas into her life.

GRAPHIC NOVELS

FREDERICK-FROST, ALEXIS. Adventures in Cartooning: How to Turn Your Doodles into Comics

Once upon a time…a princess tried to make a comic, and with the help of a magical cartooning elf, she learned how to do it well enough to

draw her way out of an encounter with a dangerous dragon, near-death by drowning and into her very own adventure.


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SPIRES, ASHLEY. Binky the Space Cat

Binky is a space cat - at least in his own mind. He's really a house cat who has never left the family "space station." Unlike other house cats,

Binky has a mission: to blast off into outer space (outside), explore unknown places (the backyard) and battle aliens (bugs).

VERNON, URSULA. Dragonbreath 6: Revenge of the Horned Bunnies

Ride 'em, cowboy! Danny's off to summer camp! Danny Dragonbreath is counting down the days to his awesome western summer camp . .

. until he gets the terrible news that his annoying younger cousin Spencer is going too. Good-bye, Danny the Cowboy; Hello, Danny the

Babysitter.

also: Dragonbreath 1 - 5

WIGHT, ERIC. Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom

Frankie hates cleaning his room. And his mom says he never has to clean it again. With Frankie’s imagination, he journeys along with his

side-kick Argyle into the “closet of doom”!

also: Frankie Pickle & the Pine Run 3000; Frankie Pickle & the Mathematical Menace

HISTORICAL FICTION

BLUE, ROSE. Ron’s Big Mission

Nine-year-old Ron, a frequent visitor to the Lake City Public Library in South Carolina in the 1950s, where he pores over books on airplanes

and flight, makes his own quiet stand against segregation when he decides to apply for his own library card. Based on the life of astronaut

Ron McNair.

COLE, HENRY. Nest for Celeste: A Story about Art, Inspiration and the Meaning of Home

At Oakley

A plantation near New Orleans, temporary home to naturalist John James Audubon and his assistant, Joseph Mason, houses a mouse

named Celeste. Industrious and sweet, she forages for food in the dining room and weaves baskets of grass. Unfortunately, she is harassed

by resident rats, and, attempting to assuage their hunger, she is trapped by a cat and unable to return to her nook under the floorboards.

GANTOS, Jack. Dead End in Norvelt


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In this 2012 Newbery Award winner, we meet twelve-year-old Jack Gantos who spends the summer of 1962 grounded for various offenses.

He is is assigned to help an elderly neighbor with a most unusual chore involving the newly dead, molten wax, twisted promises, Girl Scout

cookies, underage driving, lessons from history, typewriting, and countless bloody noses.

LAI, THANHHA. Inside Out and Back Again

Through a series of poems, a young girl chronicles the life-changing year of 1975, when she, her mother, and her brothers leave Vietnam

and resettle in Alabama.

MORRIS, GERALD. The Adventures of Sir Gawain the True

Sir Gawain, the only undefeated knight in King Arthur's court, eventually learns the value of friendship, courtliness, and courtesy after a

challenge from the Green Knight.

STEAD, REBECCA. When You Reach Me

As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1980s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl

tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.

VANDERPOOL, CLARE. Moon over Manifest

Abilene Tucker feels abandoned. Her father has put her on a train, sending her off to live with an old friend for the summer while he works

a railroad job. Armed only with a few possessions and her list of universals, Abilene jumps off the train in Manifest, Kansas, aiming to learn

about the boy her father once was.

WILLIAMS-GARCIA, RITA. One Crazy Summer

Three sisters are sent to live with their mother who ran off years ago. She is a poet, living in California, and involved with the Black Panther

Movement.

HUMOR

AMATO, MARY. Snarf Attack, Underfoodle, and the Secret of Life

This book contains three stories in which brothers and best friends Wilbur and Orville Riot catch a thief, overthrow a king, and find a

treasure, which includes rules to some of their made-up games.

also: Drooling & Dangerous; Stinky & Successful; Take the Mummy & Run

HEALY, CHRISTOPHER. The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom


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Did you ever want to know more about the “Prince Charmings” in favorite fairytales? Debut local author, Chris presents a close-up of

Liam, Frederic, Duncan, and Gustav, in all their imperfect glory. Rejected by their princesses and cast out of their castles, they encounter

trolls, witches, and dragons during their quest to become heroes in this very funny, interwoven tale of mayhem.

SCIESZKA, JON. Knucklehead

This book will tickle your funny bone as you read these almost true hilarious stories of growing up in the fifties with five brothers.

also: Guys Read: Funny Business

SEEGERT, SCOTT. Vordak the Incomprehensible: How to Grow Up and Rule the World

This fictionalized self-help manual calls on kids to embrace their inner evil and learn to rule the world with anecdotes, rhymes and

cartoons.

also: Rule the School

SMITH, LANE. It’s a Book

Slapstick humor ensues in a face-off when one character reared on a diet of Web 2.0 and gaming can’t understand what to do with a

book!

MYSTERY

CRONIN, DOREEN. The Trouble with Chickens

J. J. Tully, a former search-and-rescue dog, is supposed to be resting and relaxing after a noble career. But he is hardly settled into his new

home before a mama chick named Mildred wants him to find two of her brood that have gone missing.

WOOD, MARYROSE. The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: The Mysterious Howling

Three young children have been raised by wolves and must learn how to behave in a civilized manner. Could a 15-year-old governess

possibly tame them?

also: The Hidden Gallery

NONFICTION


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ARONSON, MARC. Trapped: How the World Rescued 33 miners from 2,000 feet below the Chilean Desert

In early August 2010, the unthinkable happened when a mine collapsed in Copiapo, Chile, and 33 miners were trapped 2,000 feet below the

surface. For sixty-nine days they lived on meager resources and increasingly poor air quality. When they were finally rescued, the world

watched with rapt attention and rejoiced in the amazing spirit and determination of the miners. What could have been a terrible tragedy

became an amazing story of survival.

also: Sugar Changed the World: a story of spice, magic, slavery, freedom, and science

NELSON, KADIR. Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans

This beautifully illustrated and inspiring book demonstrates that in gaining their freedom and equal rights, African Americans helped our

country achieve its promise of liberty and justice—the true heart and soul of our nation.

also: We are the Ship

POETRY

RACZKA, BOB. Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed From a Single Word

Part anagram, part rebus, part riddle – these poems capture a scene from a child's daily life and present a puzzle to solve. Sometimes sweet

and sometimes funny, but always clever, these poems are fun to read and even more fun for kids to write.

also: Guyku

SCHERTLE, ALICE. Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes

The outfits in this book are brought to life with personalities by Schertle's wry poetry and Mathers's exuberant cast of animal characters.

The duds on display in this poetry collection are as unique as the critters who wear them.

SINGER, MARILYN. Mirror Mirror: a Book of Reversible Verse

A collection of short poems which, when reversed, provide new perspectives on the fairy tale characters they feature.

SILVERSTEIN, SHEL. Everything on It: Poems and Drawings

This collection of never before published poetry by everyone’s favorite Shel Silvestein will delight and amaze you. Lovetobutcants?

Impossible!


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TUNNELL, MICHAEL O. Candy Bomber: the Story of the Berlin Airlift’s “Chocolate Pilot”

The year was 1948, and the Soviet Union had closed access to West Berlin in an attempt to starve the people into accepting Communist rule.

It isn’t long before kids look up in the sky, sees a plane and a pilot dropping candy!

WARDLAW, LEE. Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku

“Dogs have hair and cats have fur. Dogs whine, yip, howl and bark, while cats purr”. Read about this amazing story of a boy who adopts a

stray cat, all in the form of a haiku!

SPORTS

KELLY, DAVID. Babe Ruth and the Baseball Curse

A telling of the true story behind the creation--and breaking--of the Curse of the Bambino, inflicted on World Series champions the Boston

Red Sox after they traded Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees in 1918.

McKISSACK, PAT. The Home-Run King

Brothers Tank and Jimbo Turner love sneaking into Nashville's Sulphur Dell Ballpark to watch the superstars of Negro League baseball.

When Josh Gibson, the famous home-run hitter for the Homestead Grays, bunks at their house, the boys think they're one step away from

heaven.

also: the other titles in the Scraps of Time series


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Books in a Series:

Here are some suggestions for series books for intermediate readers.

Adventures of Ook and Gluk series by Dav Pilkey

Allie Finkle’s Rules for Girls series by Meg Cabot

Al's World series by Elise Leonard

Alvin Ho series by Lenore Look

Amulet series by Kazu Kibuishi

Anna Hibiscus series by Atinuke

also: No. 1 Car Spotter series by Atinuke

Babymouse series by Jennifer Holm

also: Squish series

Babysitter’s Club Graphic Novel series by Ann Martin

Beast Quest: The Dark Realm series by Adam Blade

Big Nate series by Lincoln Pierce

Blast to the Past series by Stacia Deutsch

Bone series by Jeff Smith

Calendar Mysteries series by Ron Roy

also: Capital Mysteries series

Calvin and Hobbes series by Bill Watterson

Charlie Small series

Chet Gecko series by Bruce Hale

Clarice Bean series by Lauren Child

Clementine series by Sara Pennypacker

Complicated Life of Claudia Cristina Cortez series by Diana Gallagher

Cool Sports Facts series


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David Mortimer Baxter series by Karen Tayleur

Dessert First series by Hallie Durand

Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney

Dragon Slayer’s Academy series by Kate McMullan

also: Myth O Mania series

Dragonbreath series by Ursula Vernon

Dyamonde Daniel series by Nikki Grimes

Easy-to-read Spooky Tales series by Veronika Charles

Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart

Ellray Jakes series by Sally Warner

Fashion Kitty series by Charise Harper

Field Trip Mysteries series by Steven Brezenoff

Franny K. Stein series by Jim Benton

Genius Files series by Dan Gutman

also:The Baseball Card series also: My Weird School series; My Weird School Daze series;

and My Weirder School

Geronimo Stilton series

also: Thea Stilton series

Hank Zipzer series by Henry Winkler

I Survived series by Lauren Tarshis

Jake Drake series by Andrew Clements

Judy Moody series by Megan McDonald

also: Stink series also: Sisters Club: Rule of Three series

Julian Rodriguez series by Alexander Stadler

Liberty Porter, First Daughter by Julia DeVillers

Lunch Lady series by Jarrett Krosoczka

Magic Thief series by Sarah Prineas

Max Disaster series by Marissa Moss

Max Finder Mystery series by Liam O’Donnell

Merlin’s Dragon series by T.A. Barron

The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Stewart Trenton Lee

Oggie Cooder series by Sarah Weeks

Ottoline series by Chris Riddell

Pandora series by Carolyn Hennesy


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Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan

also: The Kane Chronicles series

Ready Freddy series by Abby Klein

Secret Series by Pseudonymous Bosch

Secrets of Droon series by Tony Abbott

Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket

Shredderman series by Wendelin Van Draanen

Simon Bloom series by Michael Reisman

Sister Magic series by Anne Mazer

Sisters 8 series by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley

also: Nerds series

Starcatchers series by Dave Barry

Theodore Boone series by John Grisham

Third-Grade Detectives series by George Edward Stanley

39 Clues series

Ulysses Moore series

Warriors series by Erin Hunter

also: The Seekers series and The Warriors Graphic Novel series

Willimina series by Valerie Wesley

Who was . . .? biography series

Young Masters Little Wisdom series by Bunny Hull

Zack Files series by Dan Greenburg

also: Weird Planet series

Ziggy and the Black Dinosaurs series by Sharon Draper

also: Sassy series

AUTHORS TOO GOOD TO MISS:

Here are some great authors to explore for intermediate readers:


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Nic Bishop, Andrew Clements, Kate DiCamillo, Hallie Durand, Dan Gutman, Mary Downing Hahn, Carl Hiaasen, Gordon Korman, Kathleen

Krull, Wendy Mass, Gary Paulsen, Jack Prelutsky, Graham Salisbury

Here are some recommended reading websites, too:

http://www.readkiddoread.com/home

Author James Patterson works with children’s book expert, Judy Freeman, to present a resource-rich website full of “unforgettable titles bound

to turn kids on to books.”

http://guysread.com

Author, Jon Scieszka has created a wonderful websites of suggested titles specifically aimed toward boys; but, don’t kid yourself, girls will love

these books as well.

http://www.abookandahug.com

A book and a hug was created to help you find a book for your child. It's important to match children up with books they want to read and

this website can make all the difference in the world helping your child figure out their "reading personality."

Maplewood Memorial Library South Orange Public Library

www.maplewoodlibrary.org www.sopl.org

51 Baker Street, Maplewood 65 Scotland Road, South Orange

(973) 762-1622 ext 5005 (973) 762-0230

Maplewood Library Hilton Branch This list is available online at the public

1688 Springfield Ave., Maplewood library sites.

(973) 762-1688

http://www.readkiddoread.com/home

http://guysread.com/

http://www.abookandahug.com/

http://www.maplewoodlibrary.org/

Documents

Intermediate Grades Reading List