Realistic Fiction and Adventure
Aiken. The
Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Wicked wolves and a
grim governess threaten Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia when Bonnie's parents
leave Willoughby Chase for a sea voyage. Left in the care of the cruel Miss
Slighcarp, the girls can hardly believe what is happening to their once happy
home. The servants are dismissed, the furniture is sold, and Bonnie and Sylvia
are sent to a prison-like orphan school. It seems as if the endless hours of
drudgery will never cease.
With the help of Simon the gooseboy and his flock, they escape. But how will
they ever get Willoughby Chase free from the clutches of the evil Miss
Slighcarp? (publisher)
Betancourt. My
Name is Brain Brian
Brian is determined
to be a better student as he enters sixth grade, but on the first day of school
he misspells his own name! Brian has dyslexia, which is causing his troubles at
school. This is the story of how he tries to hide it from his friends and
begins to face his problem.
Bruchac. Eagle Song
Danny Bigtree's
family has moved to a new city, and Danny can't seem to fit in. He's homesick
for the Mohawk reservation, and the kids in his class tease him about being an
Indian— the thing that makes Danny most proud. Can he find the courage to stand
up for himself?
Burch. Ida Early Comes Over the Mountain
Life has been lonely
for the Sutton children since their mother died, so it's a happy day when Ida
Early comes to be their housekeeper. Ida would rather read the comics out loud
than wash dirty dishes. She's a champ at tiddlywinks, and at the drop of a hat
she entertains them with tall tales about her past exploits. Has she really
been a lion tamer? A cook on a pirate ship? And a stunt pilot? One thing the
Suttons know for sure - with Ida around, anything is possible. (publisher)
Byars. The 18th Emergency
Benjie can handle 17 emergencies. His trouble is the
18th—a big bully named Hammerman who is out to get him after school.
Byars. The
Not-Just-Anybody Family
When Junior Blossom wakes up in the hospital, his last memory is of crouching on the barn roof with cloth wings tied to his arms, and of Maggie and Vern in the yard below, urging him to fly. That had been just before Junior spotted a police car approaching the farm in a cloud of dust. Meanwhile Pap, the children's grandfather, sits in disgrace in the city jail. He was arrested for disturbing the peace after his pickup truck accidentally dumped 2,147 beer and soda cans (worth $107.35) on Spring Street. With their mother away on the rodeo circuit, it's up to Maggie and Vern to find a way to rescue Pap and Junior. How will they solve their family problems? (publisher)
This book is about
Jenny Archer and her struggle to write her autobiography. Fortunately, her
imagination comes to the rescue, helping her to invent a fascinating family
history.
Danziger. Amber
Brown Is Not a Crayon (and other Amber Brown books)
Amber Brown is
"blue over the fact that her best friend, Justin Daniels, is moving away.
What's making it even harder is that he won't talk to her about how he feels
and she can only assume he's not as broken up about it as she is. Then, while
cleaning his room for the move, Justin throws away the chewing-gum ball they've
been building for a year and a half. It's the last straw and the pair are no
longer speaking at all
DeJong. The Wheel on the School
Why did the storks no
longer come to the little Dutch fishing village of Shora to nest? It was Lina,
one of the six schoolchildren, who first asked the question, and she set the
others to wondering. And sometimes when you begin to wonder, you begin to make
things happen. So the children set out to bring the storks back. They had to
overcome many obstacles, including the fierce and threatening sea. But they
wouldn't give up - and soon their determination and their vision got the whole
village working, until at last the dream began to come true. (publisher)
Fitzgerald. The
Great Brain
Tom Fitzgerald is the
“great brain.” Set in Utah at the turn of the century, Tom swindles his
brothers and others in the small town. Always in and out of trouble, Tom and
his two brothers are always up to something.
Horvath. The Trolls
Aunt Sally has come
all the way from Vancouver Island, Canada, to take care of Melissa, Amanda, and
Pee Wee. Right from the start she enchants them with tales of her childhood
with their father. Aunt Sally's reminiscences lead up to a crucial story about
trolls, sinister creatures who supposedly lurked along the shore at night. The
trolls had the power to change Aunt Sally's life forever. Their legacy may
change the lives of these children as well. (publisher)
Konigsburg. Jennifer,
Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and Me, Elizabeth
Elizabeth is the
loneliest only child in the whole US of A until she discovers Jennifer. Of
course, Jennifer isn't a friend, really. Witches don't make friends, and
Jennifer is a witch.
Lovelace. Betsy-Tacy
and Tib
Betsy and Tacy are best friends. Then Tib moves into the neighborhood and the three of them start to play together. The grown-ups think they will quarrel, but they don't. Sometimes they quarrel with Betsy's and Tacy's bossy big sisters, but they never quarrel among themselves. They are not as good as they might be. They cook up awful messes in the kitchen, throw mud on each other and pretend to be beggars, and cut off each other's hair. But Betsy, Tacy, and Tib always manage to have a good time. (publisher)
Lowry. All
About Sam (and other books about Sam)
Everyone knows Sam Krupnik. He's Anastasia's pesty but lovable younger brother. This is Sam's big chance to tell things exactly the way he sees them. He has his own ideas about haircuts, nursery school, getting shots, and not eating broccoli. Sam thinks a lot about being bigger and stronger, about secret codes and show-and-tell. Make way for your little brother, Anastasia. Here for the first time is Sam Krupnik's life story. What a life!
Moss. Amelia Hits the Road
Ten-year-old Amelia
keeps a journal of the summer car trip she takes with her mother and sister to
Grand Canyon, Death Valley, and their California home town to visit Amelia's
best friend. There are other Amelia books, too.
They’re all written in journal style with lots of little pictures and notes.
O’Dell. Island
of the Blue Dolphins
The story of Karana,
an Indian girl who kept herself alive for years living alone on the island of
the blue dolphins.
Paulsen.
Escape from Fire Mountain
When
thirteen-year-old Nikki Roberts hears a cry for help over her CB radio, she
races into a forest fire to rescue two trapped children. But Nikki must fight
more than flames. Ruthless poachers are hot on their trail and even Nikki's
experience as a hunting guide, and the help of her horse, Goblin, may not get
them safely through the forests dangers.
There are
lots of Gary Paulsen books. Check the catalog for others you might like.