~Books Everyone Should Read~

Great Books For Girls

Fenner, Carol. Yolonda's Genius. 1995. McElderry. Ages 10-13. A large and confident girl, Yolonda draws on all of her many talents to help her younger brother pursue his musical dream in this outstanding novel. A Newbery Honor book.

O'Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins. 1960. Houghton Mifflin. Ages 9-12. In this modern classic, twelve-year-old Karana must survive alone for years on a California island. Winner of the Newbery Medal.

Lauber, Patricia. Lost Star: The Story of Amelia Earhart. 1988. Scholastic. Ages 9-13. Amelia Earhart broke barriers for women while she broke men's flying records. This biography describes her fascinating life from childhood to her mysterious disappearance.

Wrede, Patricia C. Dealing with Dragons. 1990. Harcourt Brace. Ages 10-13. Cimorene finds being a princess so boring that she takes a job working for a dragon! The first in a popular, funny series.

Avi. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. 1990. Orchard. Ages 10-14. "Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty," opens this thrilling tale of a proper young lady who changes when she gets caught up in a mutiny. A top-notch adventure. A Newbery Honor book.

Freedman, Russell. Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery. 1993. Clarion. Ages 11-14. Award-winning biographer Russell Freedman conveys the greatness of Eleanor Roosevelt through his lively writing and an extensive array of photographs. Highly recommended. A Newbery Honor book.

Staples, Suzanne Fisher. Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind. 1989. Knopf. Ages 12-14. Set in contemporary Pakistan, this gripping novel follows the fate of Shabanu, an adolescent girl from a nomadic tribe who rebels against her arranged marriage. A Newbery Honor book.

Great Books For 10-12 Year Olds!

Are You There, God? It's Me-Margaret by Judy Blume

The Book of Three (The Prydain Chronicles) by Lloyd Alexander

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert O'Brien

My Side of the Mountain by Jean George

Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry by Mildred Taylor

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Sunshine State Young Reader's Award List of

Titles Grades 6-8

Nasty, Stinky Sneakers by Eve Bunting

The Boggart by Susan Cooper

An Island Far From Home by John Donahue

Switching Well by Peni R. Griffin

Someone to Count On by Patricia Hermes

Beardance by Will Hobbs

Shadows in the Water by Kathryn Lasky

Cheater, Cheater by Elizabeth Levy

Someone Was Watching by David Patneaude

Cat Running by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

The Absolutely True Story... How I Visited Yellowstone With the Terrible Rupes by Willow Davis Roberts

Backyard Dragon by Betsy and Samuel Sterman

Cattail Moon by Jean Thesman

The Magnificent Mummy Maker by Elvira Woodruff

The Ghosts of Mercy Manor by Betty Ren Wright