Welcome Back to School!
Tips for a successful school year!
- Read daily,
- Make goals,
- Establish a routine for studying and completing your homework, and
- Make flash cards to review vocabulary words and math facts.
Absolutely Normal Chaos
by Sharon Creech
A prequel to the Newbery Medal-winning Walk Two Moons, this book chronicles the daily life of 13-year-old Mary Lou Finney during her most chaotic and romantic summer ever. Mary Lou's summer journal -- which she begins grudgingly as a dreaded assignment for school -- becomes a hilarious chronicle of the circle of people and events that make her summer. There is Carl Ray, the mysterious and troublesome cousin that comes to visit; Beth Ann Bartels, her best friend who's recently gone boy crazy; Alex Cheevy, the boy that makes Mary Lou's brains "mushy;" and, of course, the Finney clan, her "normally strange family." What follows is the story of a summer filled with lessons and observations on love, death, friendship, and family.
Belle Prater's Boyby Ruth White
When Woodrow's mother suddenly disappears, he moves to his grandparents' home in a small Virginia town where he befriends his cousin, and together they find the strength to face the terrible losses and fears in their lives.
Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson, Donna Diamond (illus.)
An extraordinarily powerful tribute to friendship, this Newbery Award-winning novel recounts the unlikely friendship of a country boy, Jess, and his neighbor, an uprooted city girl named Leslie. When Leslie is killed during a storm while trying to reach Terabithia, their secret hiding place, Jess must gather all his strength to come to terms with his loss and find a way to heal.
Catherine, Called Birdy
by Karen Cushman
Catherine, the spirited and inquisitive daughter of an English country knight, narrates in diary form the story of her 14th year -- in the year 1290. Here, she records the events of her life, particularly her longing for adventures beyond the usual role of women and her efforts to avoid being married off.
The Complete Chronicles of Narnia
by C. S. Lewis, Chris Van Allsburg (illus.)
Enter the magical land of Narnia, where enchanted creatures live and battles are fought between good and evil! The seven volumes of C. S. Lewis's famed fantasy series come boxed in a hardcover case.