For Students Who Just Finished K and 1

Not only is summer reading an entertaining activity for kids and their families, but also it is a bridge from one school year to the next. Summer reading should be fun, not a “skill and drill” experience, so your kids should have lots of free choice when it comes to selecting books.

            This list is intended as a starting point for your reading adventures. The children’s room staff at the public library can point out interesting titles for your child.

2010 Picture Book List compiled by Mrs. Rose, Cedar Hill School Library

Auch, Mary Jane   The Plot Chickens allows the author once more to demonstrate her eggstraordinary imagination in  ChickenLit. For eggstra entertainment, chick out her other chicken scratch: Poultergeist, Peeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beek, etc.

Aylesworth, Jim    In The Mitten, Aylesworth rejoins Barbara McClintock, illustrator, and adds to their collection of collaborative folktales: The Gingerbread Man, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and The Tale of Tricky Fox.

 Arnold, Tedd   I Spy Fly Guy  zooms into the popular beginner reader series, Fly Guy, which is a story of friendship between a boy named Buzz and a fly.

Bishop, Nic   Butterflies and Moths  Outstanding pictures of moths and butterflies in their natural habitat by a master photographer   Also look at his books about spiders and frogs.

Carlson, Nancy   Enjoy stories about some of the most beloved animal characters in picture books: Harriet, George, and Louanne. The latest ones are First Grade, Here I come! and Harriet’s Recital.

DiCamillo, Kate  Louise: the Adventures of a Chicken   Barnyard hen Louise longs for adventure. Leaving home, she's captured by pirates, chased by a lion, and kidnapped at a bazaar. Beginning readers will enjoy DiCamillo's Mercy Watson series.

Ernst, Lisa Campbell   Sylvia Jean, Scout Supreme is second in the series about a sweet but spunky pig. Trot on over to the nonfiction animal and farm sections and root around to learn more about these intelligent animals.

Florian, Douglas   Dinothesaurus will please poet  lover and paleontologist.  Don't miss his other poetry books with extraordinary art in the 811 section.

Fox, Mem   Hello Baby!  and The Goblin and the Empty Chair are her newest literary offerings.

Freymann, Saxton   Knock, Knock!   Illustrated by Freymann and others, can be found in the joke and riddle section (818) and fosters your child's beginning sense of humor. Also, enjoy his art work and humor in Food for Thought, How Are You Peeling?, Fast Food, and Dr. Pompo's Nose.

Grey, Mini   Traction Man Meets Turbodog   In this sequel to Traction Man Is Here, Traction Man braves the evil bin things in order to save Scrubbing Brush, who had been thrown away by the little boy's father

.

Henkes, Kevin    Try all his  engaging books to meet many adorable mouse characters .

Jenkins, Steve    His Never Smile at a Monkey  is for the brave at heart reader who will not flinch when presented with the danger of certain wild animals. For safer reading, explore his cut paper collage bestiaries: Actual Size, Prehistoric Actual Size, and Almost Gone. Jenkins presents fine art and fascinating animal facts.

Julie Andrew's Collection of Poems, Songs, and Lullabies  Together with her daughter, Julie Andrews shares her love of children's poetry (includes a compact disc).

Kasza, Keiko   Her newest picture book, Ready For Anything, humorously explores the negative and positive possibilities of imagination. Read also My Lucky Day, a story about Fox's attempt to fatten the pig before devouring him. Whose lucky day will it be? Her other books offering a similar twist are Wolf's Chicken Stew, Don't Laugh, Joe, and Badger's Fancy Meal.

Kellogg, Steven  The Pied Piper's Magic is a perky, updated, and lighthearted rendition of The Pied Piper of Hamelin. Also, Kellogg is the illustrator for the Jimmy's boa series by Trinka Hakes Noble, the WOW author 2010 at Cedar Hill.

Kimmel, Eric   The Three Little Tamales  is an amusing folktale variant of the Three Little Pigs. Your child might enjoy contrasting and comparing this variant with the classic  tale. Kimmel is also author and illlustrator of many books about Ananzi, a trickster spider in African folklore.

Palatini, Margie   Lousy Rotten Stinkin' Grapes joins Palatini's collection of wacky works. Search the 398.2 section for classic Aesop's Fables.

Pinkney, Jerry   The  Lion and the Mouse , Caldecott Medal Winner 2010, is a wordless retelling of an Aesop Fable which will fascinate children with its detailed, spectacular watercolor and pencil art.

Prelutsky, Jack   My Dog May Be a Genius: Poems celebrates childhood and and the wacky side of life. Discover all the poetry of this children's poet laureate.

Salley, Coleen   Espossumondas Plays Possum,  Salley's fourth books to feature the diapered possum child with his human mother, has broad kid appeal.

Sayre, April Pulley    The versatile author writes both fiction and nonficiton about the natural world.  Look for her newest nonfiction book, Turtle, Turtle, Watch Out!.

Scieszka, Jon    In the series Ready-to-read. Level 1, Jon Scieszka's Trucktown , the dynamic illustrations capture youngsters' attention and encourage independent reading. Sure to be popular with truck loving  beginner readers. Taking a slight  detour from trucks, Scieszka    presents Robot Zot, a delightful adventure of an alien determined to conquer planet Earth Other favorite  picture books by him are: The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, Squids Will Be Squids, The Stinky Cheeseman, The Frog Prince Continued, etc.

Stevens, Janet   Help Me, Mr. Mutt! : Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems  Mr. Mutt is an advice columnist for dogs with people problems. All pictures books by the Stevens sisters are a delight.

Wheeler, Lisa   In   Dino-soccer  and  Dino-baseball, the rivalry of two dinosaur  sports teams, meat-eaters vs plant-eaters, is humorously exposed. In addition to a stack of picture books, this author also does poetry, beginner readers, and nonfiction.

 Willems, Mo   Pigs Make Me Sneeze!andI Am Going   This year the prolific author has written and illustrated two new titles of the Elephant & Piggie series for emergent readers   which are stories of friendship and good intentions told entirely through easy-to-read speech bubbles. 

Yolen, Jane    Here's a Little Poem is an anthology of simple poems for young readers begging to be shared aloud, over and over. Also try any of Yolen's picture books, especially her How Do Dinosaurs....series. How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You is the newest.

2010 Caldecott Honor winners

Scolon, Elizabeth     All the World

Sidman, Joyce          Red Sings From Treetops

For Students Who Just Finished 2 and 3

List compiled by Mrs. Sue Philhower LMS      Oak Street School

Hey kids, check out the books by these awesome authors:

FICTION

Tony Abbott   Tony is the author of the very popular Secrets of Droon fantasy series. (2) Tony will be the Wizards of Words guest author at Oak Street and Liberty Corner in 2011!

David Adler You know about the Cam Jansen mysteries (2 and 3), but have your tried reading the Andy Russell series by Adler?  Start this 6 book series with The Many Troubles of Andy Russell.  (3)

Lynne Reid Banks Harry the Poisonous Centipede and his fearless friend George climb up the drainpipe to the land of the Hoo-mins (humans) and George gets captured!  Continue their exciting and daring adventures by reading Harry the Poisonous Centipede’s Big Adventure, and Harry the Poisonous Centipede Goes to Sea!  (3)

Annie Barrows Join two unlikely friends, Ivy and Bean, in 6 humorous novels starting with Ivy and Bean; Ivy and Bean and the Ghost That Had to Go; and Ivy and Bean Break the Fossil Record.  (2) Book #7 is due out this September!

Jim Benton   Franny K. Stein is not your average girl – she’s a mad scientist!  This series of 7 books have humor with a side of science (2).  Also enjoy the Dear Dumb Diary series – there are 10 hilarious diaries in all. (3).

Betty Birney   Humphrey the hamster, the class pet of Room 26, tells the story of his classroom adventures and his weekend visits home with various students!  Start with The World According to Humphrey, and then continue with Friendship According to Humphrey.  There are more books in this enjoyable series too!  (3)

Judy Blume The Pain and the Great One series captures the spunky sibling rivalry between an older sister (Abigail – 8) and her younger brother (Jake – 6)!  Enjoy the crazy antics starting with Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One and Cool Zone with the Pain and the Great One to get started.  Two more books round out the series.   (2 and 3)  A must read – the Fudge books- starting with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing! (3)

Dori Hillestad Butler   Enjoy these cute dog mysteries called The Buddy Files. (2)

Ann Cameron   Meet Julian and his little brother Huey who tell many tales about their lives and troubles.  How about the story about when Julian and Huey ate the lemon pudding that their father made especially for their mother!  Oh no!  Cameron has written many books about Julian’s loving family and his best friend Gloria – begin with The Stories Julian Tells; More Stories that Julian Tells and read all the way to Gloria Rising! (2 and 3)

Mark Crilley  Blast into an action packed space adventure with Akiko, the earthling hero, and her sidekicks Gax, Mr. Beeba, Spuckler, Poog, and more alien creatures!  These escapades begin with Akiko on the Planet Smoo!  (3)

Roald Dahl   Now that you have enjoyed many of Dahl’s books in your class, try some more great reads!  Challenge yourself to read The BFG; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory; Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator; Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, etc.  (3)

Michael Delaney   Meet Amos, a hippopotamus that hires a tickbird to eat those pesky insects off of his body.  So, Amoeba, the tickbird, makes herself at home!  All of a sudden Amos has a bird’s nest sitting on his head and the eggs are about to hatch!  What’s a hippo to do?  Enjoy Birdbrain Amos and Birdbrain Amos: Mr. Fun. (2 and 3)

Frances O’Roark Dowell   Science genius Phineas L. MacGuire (aka Mac) is featured in 2 books so far – Phineas L. MacGuire…Erupts (about an explosive science experiment) and Phineas L. MacGuire Gets Slimed (it’s all about mold!)  (2-3)

Anne Fine   Notso Hotso is about Anthony the dog whose life at this moment is “notso hotso”!  Then enjoy The Diary of a Killer Cat and Return of the Killer Cat (about the silly antics of Tiffy and his family).  Fine also wrote the heartwarming stories titled The Jamie and Angus Stories and Jamie and Angus Together Again.  (2)

Ruth Stiles Gannett   Elmer Elevator makes a trek to Wild Island where he meets and rescues a dragon in My Father’s Dragon.  Two other titles round out this terrific trilogy- Elmer and the Dragon and The Dragons of Blueland.  (2 and 3)

Bruce Hale   The Chet Gecko mystery series are a popular hit with kids.  (3)

Betty Hicks   Five kids with distinct personalities—Henry, Goose, Rocky, Rita, and Jazz—are the stars of this new series called Gym Shorts. (2-3)

Elizabeth Singer Hunt   Meet Jack Stalwart, code name: COURAGE.  Jack is an ordinary kid who becomes a secret agent by night.  Enjoy the Secret Agent Jack Stalwart series – Destination: US; Destination: AUSTRALIA: Destination: FRANCE; and Destination: ENGLAND.  (3)

Johanna Hurwitz   Enjoy the Riverside Kids series by reading such books as Russell Sprouts, Rip Roaring Russell. (2) Hurwitz has another great series about the Edison-Armstrong School with books such as Class Clown, Teacher’s Pet, and Class President.  Also try the Pee Wee Tales. (3)

Jessica Scott Kerrin   Martin Bridge books – another character that gets into lots of trouble. (2 and 3)

Kate Klimo The Dragon Keepers series is perfect for kids who crave books about dragons and magic.  While looking for rocks with his cousin Daisy, Jesse finds a "thunder egg" that talks to him. Like the genie in the bottle, something says, "Let me out!" Thus begins the children's adventure.  Begin with book #1 The Dragon in the Sock Drawer. (3)

Lenore Look   Alvin Ho is afraid of EVERYTHING… Everyday adventures include being left stranded by his siblings during stretching exercises that leave him upside down in a tree, being sent alone to the scary piano teacher's house, and deciding whether or not to hang out with the classroom bully.  Begin this series with Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things. (2-3)

Lois Lowry   Meet Gooney Bird Greene in these wonderful books about this eccentric second grader- Gooney Bird

Greene; Gooney Bird and the Room Mother; Gooney the Fabulous; and Gooney Bird is So Absurd.  (2 and 3)

Mike Lupica   Mike Lupica is the author of many novels for sports fans. There’s lots of football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer, and baseball action when you read The Comeback Kids series. (3)

Marissa Moss   The Amelia notebooks are so cool…maybe start your own summer notebook with writing and pictures about your summer adventures?  Enjoy Amelia’s Notebook; Amelia Writes Again; Amelia Hits the Road, etc!  There are many, many cool Amelia escapades to enjoy!  (2 and 3)

My America Series   A prelude to the Dear America series for older grades, “My America” is historical fiction written in a diary format by award winning authors.  (2) More of a challenge – try the My Name is America diaries (for boys) and the Dear America diaries (for girls).  (3)

Charles Odgen   Twins Edgar and Ellen live alone, their parents are on an extended around-the-world vacation!  The twins live in a grim house in Nod’s Limbs overlooking a cemetery and they spend their time making the townspeople’s lives miserable!  Read about their antics in this series that begins with Rare Beasts, Tourist Trap, and Under Town.  Enjoy the new Edgar and Ellen series called Nodyssey. (3)

Chris Riddell   The Ottoline series is a wonderful combo of fiction and wacky illustrations – a speaking of wacky- wait until you meet Ottoline and her unusual small and hairy counterpart Mr. Munroe.  Begin with Ottoline and the Yellow Cat, and you will surely want to continue enjoying these appealing adventures!  (2-3)

Louis Sachar   Marvin Redpost finds trouble everywhere in the popular Marvin Redpost series.  Of course, readers can’t miss the hilarious Wayside School stories!  (2 and 3)

Angie Sage    The Araminta Spookie series is a real scream…Araminta lives with her Aunt Tabby and Uncle Drac (who sleeps upside down!) in a haunted house while her parents are hunting vampires in Transylvania.  Meet creepy character and spooky beings starting with The Haunted House; The Sword in the Grotto; Frognapped:  Vampire Brat; and Ghostsitters.   (2 and 3)

Graham Salisbury   Calvin Coconut - a humorous fiction series about a fourth-grade boy and is full of the fun of growing up in Hawaii. (3)

Jon Scieszka   Jon is well known for his wacky picture books like The Stinky Cheese Man, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, and Squids Will Be Squids, but kids also love his Time Warp Trio series with tales such as Knights of the Kitchen Table, Tut Tut, and See You Later, Gladiator.  (3)

Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell The Far Flung Adventures take you on amazing journeys as your begin with

Fergus Crane, and then continue with Hugo Pepper, and Corby Flood. (3)

Michael Teitelbaum   Read the action-packed Backyard Sports series. (2)

Sara Weeks   Oogie Cooder has a unique talent – he can “charve” (which means he can carve a piece of cheese with his teeth).  Cool, huh?  Well, that’s what the students at Truman Elementary think too, and soon this talent puts him on the path to fame and fortune!  Read Oogie Cooder, and then the sequel Oogie Cooder, Party Animal!  (3)

Henry Winkler   The Hank Zipzer series is hilarious!  Follow the escapades of everyone’s favorite 4^th grader as he gets into one predicament after another with his friends Frankie and Ashley!   Who wouldn’t love these titles:  The Night I Flunked My Field Trip; Barfing in the Backseat: How I Survived My Family Road Trip; The Curtain Went Up, My Pants Fell Down; and Who Ordered This Baby?  Definitely Not Me!  (3)

GRAPHIC NOVELS

Erik Craddock   Stone Rabbit is a full-color series of riotous, rip-roaring graphic novels tell of the zany of adventures of a quick-tempered and quick-witted young rabbit.  Start with BC Mambo, then Pirate Palozza.  (3)

Jennifer Holm   Babymouse is a sassy mouse with an attitude! This popular, award-winning, hilarious, pink  

graphic novel series showcases the trials and tribulations of elementary school – 13 books in all. (2-3)

Jarrett Krosoczka   Hector, Terrence, and Dee wonder about their lunch lady?  Little do they know that besides   

serving up sloppy joes, she also serves justice!  Whatever danger lay ahead, it is no match for LUNCH LADY! (3)

Charise Mericle Harper   After a stack of fashion magazines falls on Kiki Kitty's head while she is blowing out the  

candles on her birthday cake, Kiki turns into Fashion Kitty, a feline superhero who saves other kitties from fashion

disaster.  Purr-fect for elementary girls!  (2-3)

Michael Townsend   Kit Feeny series, drawn with animal characters, has just the right combination of silliness and

problems that kids can identify with. Kit is a bear-like creature. He is worried about starting a new school, annoyed by

his twin sisters, and determined to run away from home and live as a lonely hobo when things don't go well on his first

day. (2-3)

NON-FICTION

Jim Arnosky   Naturalist, author, and illustrator shares his up close and personal experience with nature in his terrific non-fiction books.  Try Beachcombing; Watching Waterbirds; Wild Tracks; Arnosky’s Ark; All about Alligators; All About Sharks; All About Manatees; All About Rattlesnakes; and his Crinkleroot nature books - just to name a few.  (2-3)

Steve Jenkins  Stunning award-winning collage illustrations add so much to Jenkins’ informative and engaging science topics.  Jenkins has created 20 beautiful non-fiction books for children such as Actual Size; Never Smile at a Monkey; Down, Down, Down: a Journey to the Bottom of the Sea; Dogs and Cats; Living Color; and his newest book How to Clean a Hippopotamus.  (2-3)

BIOGRAPHY

David Adler   David’s picture book biographies for young children offer a wonderful peek into the lives of famous people!  Some of his biographies are about Florence Nightingale, Lewis and Clark, Davy Crockett, Thomas Edison, Louis Braille, Sacagawea, Helen Keller and Harry Houdini.  (2)

History Maker Biographies   There is a large series of very appealing biographies for middle elementary kids!  (3)

FAIRY TALES

Both 2^nd and 3^rd graders enjoyed a fairy tale unit this year.  Continue that interest by visiting 398.2…and you’ll be reading happily ever after!

POETRY

The Bernards Township Library has a large poetry section.  Check out call number 811 and you’ll have some poetry fun!  (Hey, that rhymes!)

HONORABLE MENTION AUTHORS:

Parents: 

These are just some suggested authors and series that kids love.  There are so many more - the helpful staff in the Bernards Township Library Children’s Room would be happy to further assist you! 

This summer set aside time each week to browse in the library with your child.  Encourage your child to join the summer reading program- Make a Splash – READ! Bring them to the wonderful summer activities that are planned in the Children’s Room.   Have your child sign up for their very own library card! 

Take time to enjoy reading together.  You know, your kids are not too old to be read aloud to!  Reading together makes for great family memories and can “hook” your children into a lifelong love of reading. 

Going on vacation?  Have you listened to audio books?  What a great way to travel together!  Have a great summer!

Mrs. Philhower

For Students Who Just Finished 4 and 5

Suggestions for Students Finishing Grades 4 or 5

Compiled by Beverly Francis, Librarian, Mount Prospect School and John Mullarkey, Librarian Liberty Corner

Assorted Authors - The 39 Clues series.  Each book in this 10-book series is written by a different, well-known children’s book author (including Rick Riordan, Patrick Carman and Gordon Korman.)  Nine books are currently available, and the tenth will be published soon.  There are also collectible cards, online games and a website with many related activities (www.the39clues.com.)   Amy and Dan Cahill, attend the funeral of their beloved grandmother, the powerful Grace Cahill.  At the reading of her will, they find out that she is sending her relatives on an around-the-world hunt for 39 clues which will lead them to the source of their family’s power.  The reader will experience the thrills and suspense right along with the characters and may learn a little history along the way – a fun, fun read!

Blue Balliett – Enjoy her series of books, Chasing Vermeer, The Wright 3, and her latest, The Calder Game, about the artist Alexander Calder.  Petra and Tommy solve the mysteries surrounding great works of art : a Vermeer painting, a Frank Lloyd Wright house and a Calder sculpture.  Intriguing clues keep the reader determined to solve the mystery before the threesome does.

Ruth McNally Barshaw – Looking for a fun read?  Try Barshaw’s half journal, half graphic Ellie McDoodle series which includes Ellie McDoodle Have Pen Will Travel and Ellie McDoodle New Kid in School.  Nine-year-old Eleanor McDougal, “Ellie McDoodle,” keeps a journal of her life and adventures. Follow the entries and drawings as she goes on a camping trip with relatives in Have Pen Will Travel or in New Kid in School, when Ellie’s family moves to a new town, where nobody else likes to read as much as she does, and even the teachers can’t get her name right.  She helps students rally against unfair lunch lines.

Eric Berlin  –  Don’t Miss The Puzzling World of Winston Breen and The Potato Chip Mystery.    Winston, who finds puzzles everywhere and likes nothing better than solving them, faces some fascinating treasure hunts in these books.  These books have puzzles embedded in the plot, and you can solve the puzzles right along with him.

Jeanne Birdsall  -  The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy and her newest, The Penderwicks on Gardam Street.  Meet the Penderwick sisters, four girls with unique talents and a whole lot of love.  In Summer Tale, they vacation on a Cape Cod estate where they meet the boy of the estate and have many exciting adventures.  Feels like a modern day “Little Women.”  In Gardam Street, the Penderwick girls return home to Gardam Street to find out that their aunt is trying to fix up their dad, something they work hard to defeat.

Patrick Carman – If you like fantasy and master storytelling, Carman’s Land of Elyon series is the book for you!  Alexis, the daughter of the mayor of Layrinth, summers in Bridewell with her dad, but she has never been beyond the stone walls that line her world.  Soon Alexis discovers that evil lies within the walls and her adventures begin.  In the process, Alexis confronts giants, bats, ravenous dogs, and a particularly ghoulish mastermind in order to bring back peace.

Andrew  Clements– Room One: A Mystery or Two, follows the adventures of a mystery-loving twelve-year-old boy in Nebraska.   Lunch Money, The Last Holiday Concert , No Talking  and Lost and Found, are school-based stories by Clements. Others include The Report Card, The Landry Newsand School Story.  These stories are so realistic you might expect the appealing characters to step off the page.  Look for his newest: Extra Credit.

Eoin Colfer – His exciting Artemis Fowl series continues with The Time Paradox.  Others in the series include Artemis Fowl, Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident, Artemis Fowl: The Eternity Code, Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony.  When twelve-year-old evil genius, Artemis Fowl, tries to restore his family fortune by capturing a fairy and demanding a ransom in gold, the fairies fight back with magic, technology, and a particularly nasty troll. Artemis Fowl is a high-tech fantasy, mixing fairies, leprechauns, and computers, in a brilliant, thrilling story that is destined to become a cult favorite.

Bruce Coville  - Coville is the author of more than 90 novels, including The Magic Shop series that started with Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher and Jennifer Murdley’s Toad.  The latest offering in the series is Juliet Dove, Queen of Love.  Look also for his My Teacher is an Alien series and his Unicorn Chronicles series.  Coville’s stories keep kids reading!

Sharon Creech  - Award-winning, Princeton, New Jersey native, Creech has written many wonderful books.  Her free verse novels, Heartbeat, Love That Dog, and  Hate That Cat are fresh and innovative.  Granny Torrelli Makes Soup, aheartwarming story about a 12-year-old girl and her best friend, is enhanced by words of wisdom and food from her grandmother.  Newbery Award winning book, The Wanderer  tells the tale of a 13-year-old girl’s voyage across the ocean aboard her uncle’s sailboat.

Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black  - The Spiderwick Chronicles (5-book series):  The Field Guide, The Seeing Stone, Lucinda’s Secret, The Ironwood Tree and The Wrath of Mulgarath.  Five volumes follow the Grace family as they move into the dilapidated Spiderwick Estate to find themselves sucked into the dark and fascinating world of faeries.  You’ll be completely absorbed too.  DiTerlizzi also has a new series, Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles, which includes Nixie’s Song and The Giant Problem and continues this fantasy world with new characters.

Jeanne DuPrau  -  City of Ember is set in an underground world with no natural light, and for decades its inhabitants have forgotten the outside world and survived on the contents of its vast storerooms. Haunting action will capture you as two young people search for meaning and escape from their flickering world.  The adventures continue in The People of Sparks, The Prophet of Yonwood and The Diamond of Darkhold.

Patricia Finney/Jan Burchett - Lady Grace Cavendish is the youngest lady-in-waiting to  Queen Elizabeth I in this intriguing historical fiction mystery series.  Assassin, Betrayal, Conspiracy, Deception, Exile and Feud are the tiles so far. 

Cornelia Funke  -  In Dragon Rider, the intrepid dragon Firedrake embarks on a journey to the Rim of Heaven in the Himalayas, searching for a safe home for his dragon companions.  In The Thief Lord, orphans in Venice try to outwit a private detective who is trying to catch them, as they faithfully follow their teen leader without knowing the truth about his real life.  Funke is also the author of the exciting, suspenseful, action-packed fantasy novels Inkheart, Inkspelland Inkdeath. 

Patricia Reilly Giff  – Giff is has a gift for writing historical fiction with strong female characters.  Her Nory Ryan series  (Nory Ryan’s Song, Lilly’s Crossing, and Maggie’s Door) chronicles the trials in the lives of Irish girls through different time periods.  The reader grows to care about Giff’s characters and hope for their success and happiness.  Other Giff books include Willow Run, Pictures of Hollis Woods and Water Street.

Anthony Horowitz  -  Once a screenwriter, Horowitz’s Alex Rider series, Stormbreaker, Point Blank, Skeleton Key,  Eagle Strike, Scorpia, Snakehead, Ark Angel and Crocodile Tears, read like action-packed movies about a teen spy who survives difficult situations to complete his missions.  A favorite with the boys.

Erin Hunter  -  (A pseudonym for 3 authors) The extremely popular Warrior series follows the cat warrior clans as they roam the wild and fight for survival.  The first series Warriors includes Into the Wild, Forest of Secrets, Fire and Ice and 4 more stories.  The second series, The New Prophecy, includes Midnight, Moonrise, Dawn, Starlight, Twilight and Sunset.   The third series, Power of Three, includes The Sight, Dark River and Outcast.  The newest series is The Seekers.

Jeff  Kinney  - What started out as an episodic story on the Internet has taken off and become a favorite book of many children.  Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid:
Greg Heffley’s Jounanl, Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules,  Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Last Straw  and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days are popular reads for this age group.  Innovative illustrated add to the humor of the adventures and misadventures of Greg as he begins middle school.

Kathryn Lasky – Lasky’s very popular Guardians of Ga’Hoole, a 16-book series, will thrill fantasy and animal lovers alike.  Enter the exciting world of owls as Soren, the young barn owl pushed from his nest by his brother, and his new friend Gylfie are taken to a secret school where the leader is training owls to help achieve her goal, one which will threaten owls everywhere.

Gail Carson Levine -  Levine’s debut novel, Ella Enchanted won a Newbery Honor Award and was made into a movie.  Her books are rich with elements from existing fairy tales but with an added twist!  If you love the romance and adventure of fairy tales try one of Levine’s light-hearted fantasies such as The Two Princesses of Barmarre, Fairest, The Wish, Ever and her latest book, The Fairy’s Return and Other Princess Tales.

Grace Lin  - her semi-autobiographical novels Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat are warm and funny family stories.  Her most recent novel, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, is set in China and combines fantasy and adventure with exquisite illustrations.

Mike Lupica  - Exciting and rich-in-detail sports tales from a professional sports writer include Travel Team (basketball) and Heat (baseball).  New series, The Comeback Kids are shorter stories also with a sports theme.

Jenny Nimmo  - The Children of the Red King Series:  Midnight for Charlie Bone; Charlie Bone and the Time Twister, Charlie Bone and the Invisible Boy; Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors; Charlie Bone and the Hidden King, Charlie Bone and the Beast. Charlie may remind you of another boy wizard named Harry, but this series is filled with intrigue and danger all its own.  Charlie’s gift is being able to hear the thoughts of people in photographs.  Also try her new series, The Magician Trilogy (The Snow Spider, Emlyn’s Moon and The Chestnut Soldier.)

Gary Paulsen  -  Critically acclaimed author of adventure/survival stories, Hatchet, Brian’s Hunt and the engaging historical fiction Mr. Tucket series which includes Mr. Tucket, Call Me Francis Tucket and Tucket’s Home.  Lawn Boy is a humorous story about a boy who becomes a millionaire by cutting lawns.  Check out his newest book Mudshark for a good laugh this summer!

Rick Riordan  -  The hottest children’s author this year, and he was a Social Studies teacher!  His top-selling Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, includes The Lightning Thief (a film this year), The Titan’s Curse, The Sea of Monsters, The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian.  Percy Jackson, attending a school for troubled youth, discovers that he is the son of Poseidon and a mortal woman.  Poseidon is accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt, and Percy must locate and return the lightning bolt, or humankind is doomed.  Lots of adventure and connections with mythology make this series a hit with girls and boys! 

Pam Munoz Ryan – The ultimate story-teller, Ryan has written many captivating and diverse stories.   Riding Freedom, an historical fiction story based on the life of a real woman in the old West who with the love of horses, survived a difficult life.   Esperanza Rising, is the story of Esperanza, a young girl who thought she would always live in her beautiful estate in Mexico, but tragedy strikes and Esperanza and her mother must flee with nothing to the United States during the Great Depression- a story you won’t soon forget.   Paint The Wind, Ryan’s newest novel is set in the open spaces of Wyoming, again featuring the tender connection between a girl and horses.

Angie Sage  - The Septimus Heap series.  For Harry Potter lovers, here is another story of a young wizard who must face many harrowing experiences as he learns to use his magic.  Included in the series are: Magyk, Flyte, Physik, Queste, and Syren.

Brian Selznick  - Selznick’s Caldecott winning, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, is described as a story told in pictures and words.  Based on the life of a silent movie film director and told through the eyes of a young boy, the story and its presentation will enthrall kids and adults.

Eileen Spinelli – The veteran children’s writer (and wife of Jerry Spinelli) continues with two of her newest stories told in free verse, Summerhouse Time, and Where I Live.  In Summerhouse Time, 11-year-old Sophie’s summer is not the same fun-filled days that she remembers, her cousin isn’t speaking to her, and her dad is aloof.  By the end of the summer, Sophie realizes that she is growing up.  In Where I Live, another girl, Diana, tells a story of her love for her family through free verse poems, a new trend in young adult fiction.

Paul Stewart/Chris Riddell – A British author and a British illustrator collaborate to create the marvelous world of The Edge Chronicles series, including Beyond The Deepwoods, Stormchaser, Midnight Over Sanctaphrax, The Curse of the Gloamglozer,  The Last of the Sky Pirates, Vox,  Freeglader,  The Winter Knights and Clash of the Sky Galleons.  The reader will meet many quirky characters in this fantasy series.  In Beyond The Deepwoods, Young Twig, adopted by a family of Wood Trolls, leaves the Deepwoods to go out into the mysterious and dangerous lands beyond, to find out where he really belongs.

Trenton Lee Stewart   -  The Mysterious Benedict Society and the sequels, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey and The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner’s Peril.   You’ll like the exciting adventures of Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance, gifted children chosen by Mr. Benedict to infiltrate the school run by a criminal mastermind who is using children to take over the world.  In Perilous Journey, the foursome is forced to go on an unexpected search to find the missing Mr. Benedict.

Jeff  Stone  -  The Five Ancestors series: Monkey, Tiger, Snake, Crane, Eagle and  Mouse.  Set in medieval China, each book in this series focuses on a young orphan monk. Each is named after a specific animal and is learning kung-fu-style martial arts based on the individual animal’s characteristics.

Sylvia Waugh - What if you were a space alien on earth and homesick for your own planet?   Space Race, Earthborn, and Who Goes Home? answer that question.  Waugh is also the author of the Mennyms series about mysterious rag dolls who come to life.

Henry Winkler – Want a laugh-out-loud story?  TV star/producer now turned children’s book author,  Henry Winkler (Fonzie from Happy Days) has created an endearing character in the Hank Zipzer series.  Hank, the world’s biggest underachiever, is always coming up with “great ideas” and schemes that never quite work out, but it makes for a great story.  Just the book titles will make you chuckle: The Zippity Zinger, I Got A D in Salami and Who Ordered This Baby? Definitely Not Me.