Books for Independent Reading
VERY EASY
- Through Grandpa's Eyes
- by Patricia MacLachlan
Harper 1980 (28p); also paper
On visits to his grandparents, John
shares his blind grandfather's world.
- Striped Ice Cream
- by Jean M. Lexau
(Multicultural)
Harper 1968 (128p);
Scholastic 1992 paper
Becky wonders if her birthday is as
important to her family as it is to her.
- I Spy Two Eyes: Numbers in Art
- by Lucy Micklethwait
(Art)
Greenwillow 1993 (48p)
Art reproductions in numerous styles,
periods, and techniques contain the
numbers 1 to 20.
- The Key to the Playhouse
- by Carol Beach York
Scholastic 1994 (71p)
Alice Ann and Megan realize that their
snubbing of chubby Cissie has cruel
consequences.
- Maurice's Room
- by Paula Fox
Macmillan 1988 (64p)
Maurice's parents can't understand his
passion for collecting what they call
junk. Available in Spanish asLa
habitación de Mauricio.
- Eagle Dreams
- by Sheryl McFarlane
Philomel 1995 (32p)
Robin, neglectful of his chores,
promises to change his ways if he's
permitted to care for an injured eagle.
EASY
- Great Grandfather's House
- by Rumer Godden
(Multicultural)
Greenwillow 1992 (76p)
When Keiko spends time with her
cousin and great-grandfather, she learns
about sharing and respect.
- Staying Nine
- by Pam Conrad
Harper 1988 (80p); also paper
Heather likes being nine years old and
decides to stay nine forever.
- The Real Thief
- by William Steig
Farrar 1976 (64p); also paper
When the goose Gawain is accused of
stealing from King Basil the bear, he
wonders if anyone will believe he is
innocent. Available in Spanish asEl
verdadero ladrón.
- I Spy: A Book of Picture Riddles
- by Jean Marzollo
(Art)
Scholastic 1992 (40p)
Use the rhyming riddles to find hidden
objects in the pictures. Available in
Spanish asVeo: un libro adivinanzas
ilustradas.
- Stealing Home
- by Mary Stolz
(Multicultural)
Harper 1992 (128p); also paper
When Great-Aunt Linzy comes for a
visit, Thomas wonders how long she'll
stay.
- A Llama in the Family
- by Johanna Hurwitz
Morrow 1994 (96p)
When he looks for his surprise, Adam
finds a llama, not the bicycle he'd
hoped for.
- Chasing After Annie
- by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Harper 1991 (64p)
Richie hopes that finding Annie's
missing dog will show Annie how
wonderful he is.
AVERAGE
- Optricks
- by Larry Evans
Price Stern Sloan 1995 (24p)
An interactive book of traditional,
stereovision, and other optical
illusions.
- In Two Worlds: A Yup'ik Eskimo
Family
- by Aylette Jenness and Alice Rivers
(Multicultural)
Houghton 1989 (88p)
A contemporary Eskimo family also
observe their ancient customs.
- Family Dinner
- by Jane Cutler
Farrar 1992 (112p); also paper
Great-Uncle Benson cannot understand
why Rachel's family do not have
dinner together each night.
- The Amazing Paper Cuttings of Hans
Christian Andersen
- by Beth Wagner Brust
(Art)
Ticknor 1994 (80p)
A brief biography of Andersen that
includes his spontaneous paper cuttings
done without patterns.
- Nothing Grows Here
- by Jean Thesman
Harper 1994 (182p)
Following the death of her father,
Maryanne feels she needs a garden more
than ever, but her mother doesn't seem
to understand that.
- Later, Gator
- by Laurence Yep
(Multicultural)
Hyperion 1995 (128p)
As a joke, Teddy buys his brother an
alligator for his birthday, but maybe
the joke is on Teddy.
- After Fifth Grade, the World
- by Claudia Mills
Macmillan 1989 (128p);
Avon 1991 paper
After disastrous results, Heidi stops
trying to reform people and accepts
them as they are.
- Looking at Paintings: Cats
- by Peggy Roalf
(Art)
Hyperion 1992 (64p)
Cats interpreted by the artists Bonnard,
Hiroshige, Hockney, Kipling, Picasso,
and others.
- Thirteen Going on Seven
- by Marilyn Sachs
Dutton 1993 (133p)
While her twin is eager to grow up,
Dezzy just wants to spend time with
her grandfather and protect the
environment.
- Red-Dirt Jessie
- by Anna Myers
Walker 1992 (107p)
Her dad is unhappy, and Jessie is sure
a pet will cheer him up.
- Two Under Par
- by Kevin Henkes
Greenwillow 1987 (128p)
Wedge resents his new stepfather and
stepbrother and the new miniature golf
course outside his house.
- The True Story of a Wimp
- by Susan Shreve
Tambourine 1995 (128p)
Liam doesn't want to tell anyone that
his perfect family is breaking up, but
his sister sees things differently.
- The Circle of Gold
- by Candy Dawson Boyd
(Multicultural)
Scholastic 1984 (128p); also paper
A young girl must adjust to her
father's death and to her mother's
grief.
- The Facts and Fictions of Minna Pratt
- by Patricia MacLachlan
(Music)
Harper 1988 (144p); also paper
Minna wishes that her writer father and
psychologist mother would act normal,
like the parents of her friend.
- The Plum Tree War
- by Bonnie Pryor
Morrow 1989 (128p); Dell 1992 paper
Robert is upset when his cousin and
her huge dog come for a yearlong visit.
- An Occasional Cow
- by Polly Horvath
Farrar 1989 (112p); also paper
New Yorker Imogene is not looking
forward to spending the summer with
her cousins in Iowa, where she expects
to be quite bored.
- Hello, My Name Is Scrambled Eggs
- by Jamie Gilson
(Multicultural)
Lothrop 1985 (160p); also paper
Vietnamese refugee Twan has a new
friend who wants to Americanize him.
CHALLENGING
- Hook a Fish, Catch a Mountain
- by Jean Craighead George
Spinner wants to pursue her dream of
dancing without disappointing her
father.
Available in Spanish asPescar un
pez, conquistar una montaña.
- Cat Running
- by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Delacorte 1994 (168p)
Cat wonders how she can outrun the
barefoot Zane in the school's annual
Play Day.
- Cousins
- by Virginia Hamilton
(Multicultural)
Philomel 1990 (128p);
Scholastic 1993 paper
Not until tragedy strikes does Cammy
realize she may have misunderstood her
beautiful cousin. Available in
Spanish asPrimos.
- Morning Girl
- by Michael Dorris
(Multicultural)
Hyperion 1992 (75p); also paper
Morning Girl and her brother Star Boy
both describe their island life in 1492.
- Journey
- by Patricia MacLachlan
Dell 1993 (96p); paper
Living with his grandparents, Journey
cannot understand why his mother left
him and his sister Cat and why she
hasn't returned.
- S.O.R. Losers
- by Avi
Bradbury 1984 (112p)
The South Orange River hockey team
lose game after game, but they don't
seem to mind.
- Looking at Art: Self-Portraits
- by Peggy Roalf
(Art)
Hyperion 1993 (48p)
Self-portraits by Leonardo, Rembrandt,
Picasso, and others show a variety of
styles and techniques in interpreting
one's own image.
Books for Teachers to Read Aloud
- Fig Pudding
- by Ralph Fletcher
Clarion 1995 (144p)
Lively, humorous episodes tell why
being the oldest isn't always easy for
Cliff.
- Taxi Cat and Huey
- by Gen Leroy
Harper 1992 (144p)
Huey, a basset hound, tells how life in
his New York apartment changes after
Taxi, a Siamese cat, moves in.
- The Stone-Faced Boy
- by Paula Fox
Macmillan 1987 (112p); also paper
Gus is afraid to show his feelings until
he meets his very perceptive Great-Aunt Hattie. Available in Spanish as
Gus cara de piedra.