Build a Better World: Youth Recommended Reads

a better

CAUTI ON FUN A HEAD

summer reading 2017 Youth Services Recommended Reads

reading

wake county public libraries www.wakegov.com/libraries

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to our annual booklet featuring great summer reads! In honor of this year’s Summer Reading theme, we have chosen some wonderful titles to help you and your family “Build a Better World.” From picture books to juvenile books, and from genres such as fiction to biographies we cover a wide variety, so you’re sure to find some books you’ll love!

a better

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PICTURE BOOKS Rescue Squad No. 9

by Mike Austin E Austin Exciting picture book about a coastal rescue team (author also has Fire Engine No. 9, also excellent) My House

by Byron Barton E Barton Jim the cat describes his favorite places inside and outside his house.

Ada Twist, Scientist

by Andrea Beaty E Beaty Ada Twist is a very curious girl who shows perseverance by asking questions and performing experiments to find things out and understand the world.

Stanley the Builder

by William Bee E Bee What a job for Stanley--he’s building a house for his friend, Myrtle. He will need his digger and his bulldozer and his cement mixer. He will also need his friend, Charlie to help.

But will they manage to build the whole house?

Tinyville Town Gets to Work

by Brian Biggs E Biggs When there is a traffic jam on the Tinyville Town bridge, the residents decide to work together to build a new one.

Littleland Around the World

by Marion Billet E Billet Explore new sights and sounds from around the world that are identified by matching pictures and identifying words in each country.

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The Curious Garden

by Peter Brown E Brown Liam discovers a hidden garden and with careful tending spreads color throughout the gray city.

Hug Machine

by Scott Campbell E Campbell The hug machine is available to hug anyone, any time, whether they are square or long, spikey or soft.

Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood

by F. Isabel Campoy E Campoy Mira lives in a gray and hopeless urban community until a muralist arrives and, along with his paints and brushes, brings color, joy, and togetherness to Mira and her neighbors.

Miss Rumphius

by Barbara Cooney E Cooney As a child Great-aunt Alice Rumphius resolved that when she grew up she would go to faraway places, live by the sea in her old age, and do something to make the world more beautiful--and she does all those things, the last being the most difficult of all.

Billions of Bricks

by Kurt Cyrus E Cyrus A counting book that leads readers through the day in the life of a construction worker building with bricks.

Last Stop on Market Street

by Matt de la Pena E de la Pena A young boy rides the bus across town with his grandmother and learns to appreciate the beauty in everyday things.

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Swatch: The Girl Who Loved Color

by Julia Denos E Denos Swatch is a color tamer who spends her time collecting all the colors of the world until Yellowest Yellow refuses to be contained. This is an exuberant celebration of all the beauty and color that make up our lives.

The Night Gardener

by Terry Fan E Fan The Night Gardener tells the story of a depressed town’s transformation with the help of a nocturnal gardener.

Stick and Stone

by Beth Ferry E Ferry Stick and Stone are both lonely until Pinecone’s teasing causes one to stick up for the other, and a solid friendship is formed.

Bulldozer’s Big Day

by Candace Fleming E Fleming Bulldozer wants to invite all of his coworkers to a party to celebrate his special day, but to them it’s just another day for scooping, sifting, stirring, and more.

Shy

by Deborah Freedman E Freedman Shy loves birds, but he’s only ever read about them in books.

When a real bird finally comes along, he’s dying to meet her, but he’s too afraid to leave the gutter of the book. Can he put aside his fears, step out onto the page, and get to know her?

Chickens to the Rescue

by John Himmelman E Himmelman Six days a week the chickens help the Greenstalk family and their animals recover from mishaps that occur on the farm, but they need one day to rest.

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Mighty Dads

by Joan Holub E Holub Told in simple rhyming text, hard-working construction vehicle fathers guide and encourage their children.

Build, Dogs, Build: A Tall Tail

by James Horvath E Horvath The doggy construction crew return for an ambitious development project involving the demolition of a old building and the construction of a new high rise with a shiny pet-house apartment on top.

Big Bob, Little Bob

by James Howe E Howe Big Bob likes trucks and throwing balls and being loud. Little Bob likes dolls and jingling bracelets and being quiet. No matter what they do, they do not do it the same way. Can they possibly be friends despite these differences?

Say Hello!

by Rachel Isadora E Isadora A little girl greets people in her neighborhood in many different languages.

Sidewalk Flowers

by JonArno Lawson E Lawson In this wordless picture book, a little girl collects wildflowers while her distracted father pays her little attention. Each flower becomes a gift, and whether the gift is noticed or ignored, both giver and recipient are transformed by their encounter.

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Too Tall Houses

by Gianna Marino E Marino Owl and Rabbit are good friends and neighbors atop a hill, but when Rabbit’s garden blocks Owl’s view of the forest Owl builds a higher house, which prevents sunlight from reaching Rabbit’s plants.

Construction Crew

by Lynn Meltzer E Meltzer A construction crew tears down an old building and builds a new house in its place.

Tools Rule

by Meshon E Meshon In a messy yard, a team of tools gets organized, then spends a busy day building a shed.

The House that Zack Built

by Allison Murray E Murray Follows Zack and his dog Rufus as they share a day on the farm, building a house out of blocks, before a wandering fly attracts the attention of a determined feline, inadvertently wreaking havoc.

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If You Plant a Seed

by Kadir Nelson E Nelson While planting seeds in their garden, two animals learn the value of kindness.

The Peace Book

by Todd Parr E Parr Describes peace as making new friends, sharing a meal, feeling good about yourself, and more.

Number One Sam

by Greg Pizzoli E Pizzoli A competitive race-car driving dog learns that some things are more important than being number one.

This Is My Dollhouse

by Giselle Potter E Potter A little girl shows her friend how to use imagination to create a dollhouse world from everyday items.

Busy Builders, Busy Week

by Jean Reidy E Reidy A cast of animal characters are building a brand new playground in a local park and each day of the week contains a different construction plan. The construction project comes together for a rhyming walking tour of a neighborhood, where young readers can learn the days of the week while watching everyone work as a team!

Nerdy Birdy

by Aaron Reynolds E Reynolds About a nerdy birdy who just wants to hang out with the cool birds. In the end, Nerdy Birdy meets a flock just like him.

He has friends and discovers that there are far more nerdy birdies than cool birdies in the sky.

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The Dot

by Peter H. Reynolds E Reynolds Vashti believes that she cannot draw, but her art teacher’s encouragement leads her to change her mind.

Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site

by Sherri Rinker E Rinker At sunset, when their work is done for the day, a crane truck, a cement mixer, and other pieces of construction equipment make their way to their resting places and go to sleep.

The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade

by Justin Roberts E Roberts Sally McCabe is a very little girl, and nobody notices her, although she notices everything that goes on around her-but when she speaks out about the unkindness she sees, people start to pay attention.

Let’s go to the hardware store

by Anne F. Rockwell E Rockwell When the new house needs fixing up, a brother and sister accompany their father on a trip to the hardware store to find the tools and materials needed to get the job done.

Rain School

by James Rumford E Rumford The children arrive on the first day of school and build a mud structure to be their classroom for the next nine months until the rainy season comes and washes it all away.

Supertruck

by Stephen Savage E Savage When the city is hit by a colossal snowstorm, only one superhero can save the day. But who is this mysterious hero, and why does he disappear once his job is done?

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All the World

by Elizabeth Scanlon E Scanlon Follow a circle of family and friends through the course of a day from morning till night as they discover the importance of all things great and small in our world, from the tiniest shell on the beach, to warm family connections, to the widest sunset sky.

One Busy Day

by Lola Schaefer E Schaefer Mia’s big brother Spencer never seems to have time to play with her. But with a little imagination and lot of love, Mia shows Spencer it’s a lot more fun to be busy together.

Little Blue Truck

by Alice Schertle E Schertle A small blue truck finds his way out of a jam, with a little help from his friends.

What About Moose?

by Corey Schwartz E Schwartz Fox and her friends are building a playhouse. Everything goes smoothly until bossy Moose tromps in and tries to be in charge of everything. When Moose’s bossing causes the project to go awry, can the friends work as a team to come up with a solution?

Turtle Island

by Kevin Sherry E Sherry A giant turtle’s loneliness ends when a boatload of animals is shipwrecked and makes a temporary home on his shell. But when they decide to sail for home, will the turtle be alone once more?

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A Sick Day for Amos McGee

by Philip Stead E Stead Amos McGee, a friendly zoo keeper, always makes time to visit his animal friends, but when he becomes sick and cannot come in to work, the animals pay him a visit instead.

Because Amelia Smiled

by David Ezra Stein E Stein A little girl’s smile as she skips down the street in New York inspires a neighbor to send cookies to her grandson in Mexico, and the good will soon spreads around the world.

The Treehouse that Jack Built

by Bonnie Verburg E Verburg With ladders, swings, turrets, and elaborate pulley systems everywhere--animals chase one another over, under, around, and through the tree house that Jack has built. Then the bell rings, and all the animals gather for story time with Jack.

Miss Maple’s Seeds

by Eliza Wheeler E Wheeler After gathering lost seeds during the summer, a kind woman tends and instructs them throughout the fall and winter before sending them out in the spring to find roots of their own.

Hooray for Hat!

by Brian Won E Won Elephant wakes up in a grumpy mood, but a present on his doorstep--a hat--cheers him and he sets out to greet his neighbors who all, it seems, need hats of their own.

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Each Kindness

by Jacqueline Woodson E Woodson When Ms. Albert teaches a lesson on kindness, Chloe realizes that she and her friends have been wrong in making fun of new student Maya’s shabby clothes and refusing to play with her.

How Do Dinosaurs Stay Friends?

by Jane Yolen E Yolen A young dinosaur shows how to stay friends even after having a terrible fight with his very best friend.

Found

by Salina Yoon E Yoon Upon finding a toy rabbit in the forest, Bear tries his very best to return it to its home but by the time its owner appears, Bear has become attached to Bunny.

BEGINNING READER BOOKS

Max Finds an Egg

by Wiley Blevins ER Blevins Max finds and cares for an egg and, although what emerges is not the dinosaur he had hoped for, he learns that a chicken can be a good friend--and dancer.

A New Friend

by Wiley Blevins ER Blevins The Berenstain Bears enjoy playing soccer on a sunny afternoon, but when Mama gets too involved, the cubs take it upon themselves to remind her what the sport is really all about.

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Busy Bug Builds a Fort

by David Carter ER Carter Busy Bug wants to build a fort and friend Bitsy Bee helps. neighborhood. What amazing new vehicles will he find?

Drew the screw

by Mattia Cerato ER Cerato The saw cuts, the hammer hits, and the drill makes holes; so Drew needs a job too.

How to Build a Dragon Fort

by Erica David ER David After finding the perfect spot for a fort, Hiccup and the Dragon Riders must do something with the wild dragons.

Here Comes the Parade!

by Tony Dungy ER Dungy When they find a lost wallet at the parade, the Dungy children learn an important lesson about telling the truth and doing the right thing.

The Best Nest

by P.D. Eastman ER Eastman Mrs. Bird is unhappy with their home. She and Mr. Bird set forth to find a new nest but learn that home hunting is not very easy.

Build Dogs Build, A Tall tale

by James Horvath ER Horvath The doggy construction crew return for an ambitious development project involving the demolition of a old building and the construction of a new high rise with a shiny pet-house apartment on top.

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Dig, Dogs, Dig: A Construction Tail

by James Horvath ER Horvath Top dog Duke leads a busy work crew to a new construction site. All sorts of dogs have plenty to do before the day is out.

These clever dogs will dig, haul, push, plow, and even bring in a crane to build a new park.

Tia Tape Measure (Tool School Series)

by Adria Klein ER Klein The school library got new shelves, but the books don’t fit.

However, Tia Tape Measure is ready to measure all day to make things right. Will the tool team be able to get the books put away?

Clara and Clem in Outer Space

by Ethan Long ER Long When Clara and Clem build a robot out of blocks, they have no idea where the robot (and their imagination) will take them. But soon enough, they are in outer space.

Katie Woo, Super Scout

by Fran Manushkin ER Manushkin On a hike with the Super Scouts, Katie is paired up with a girl she does not know who seems much better at scouting then Katie is, but eventually Katie finds that she has discovered a new friend.

Pig and Pug

by Laura Marchesani ER Marchesani Pig lives on a farm where he is the only animal without a friend until a new creature arrives, Pug, who is not a pig but has a curly tail, snorts, plays in the mud, and just might be a good friend for Pig. The Clubhouse

by Anastasia Suen ER Suen Peter, Amy, Archie, Lily and Louie work together to build a clubhouse in a vacant lot.

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Curious George A Home for Honeybees

by Julie Tibbott ER Tibbott George and Steve accidentally eat all of Betsy’s honeycomb for her Earth Day presentation about bees and resolve to find a way to replace the honeycomb before Betsy returns from dance class. George and his friend Steve eat all of the honeycomb Betsy was going to use for her report on bees, so they build a beehive to make more.

Should I Share My Ice Cream? (Elephant & Piggie)

by Mo Willems ER Willems Gerald must decide if he should share his ice cream before it’s too late.

A Brand-New Day With Mouse and Mole

by Wong Herbert Yee ER Yee As best friends Mole and Mouse try to solve the problem of Mole’s moth-eaten clothes, they also find new uses for old things. Each has an idea about how to make their brandnew day into a great-new day.

JUVENILE BOOKS LOWER ELEMENTARY A Boy Called Bat

by Elana K Arnold J Arnold Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter. But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet.

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Super Fly: The World’s Smallest Superhero

by Todd H. Doodler J Doodler When Eugene, a small and nerdy, mild-mannered housefly, becomes the world’s smallest superhero, he takes on Crazy Cockroach and his army of insect baddies.

Sam the Man and the Chicken Plan

by Frances O’Roark Dowell J Dowell When seven-year-old Sam Graham, eager for some spending money, volunteers to look after a neighbor’s chickens, the experience inspires him to get his own chicken--a special bird named Helga.

The 13 Story Treehouse

by Andy Griffiths J Griffiths Follows the efforts of Andy and Terry to meet a latest book deadline despite numerous distractions in their sophisticated tree house home, including flying cats, giant bananas, and sea monsters pretending to be mermaids.

Mae and June and the Wonder Wheel

by Charise Mericle Harper J Harper June is happy to get a new neighbor, Mae, and soon the two of them are best friends and having adventures determined by the Wonder Wheel that they spin each morning.

Lulu and the Dog from the Sea

by Hilary McKay J McKay Seven-year-old Lulu and her cousin think their vacation house is the most perfect place ever until they find a troubleprone, stray dog living on the beach.

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Green Thumbs Up!

by Jenny Meyerhoff J Meyerhoff Third-grader Anna has had trouble making friends since her family moved from a small town in New York to Chicago, but a group project at school leads to new opportunities, including friendships, a club, and a garden she can work in, just like in her last home.

Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World

by Candace F. Ransom J Ransom Eight-year-old Iva Honeycutt is determined to make her first great discovery this summer--the treasure buried in her small town of Uncertain, Virginia, that her great-grandfather sought for years--if only she can keep her pesky cousin Heaven from interfering.

JUVENILE BOOKS UPPER ELEMENTARY

The One and Only Ivan

by Katherine Applegate J Applegate When Ivan, a gorilla who has lived for years in a down-andout circus-themed mall, meets Ruby, a baby elephant that has been added to the mall, he decides that he must find her a better life.

Finding Serendipity

by Angelica Banks J Banks When Tuesday McGillycuddy and her beloved dog Baxterr discover that Tuesday’s mother--the famous author Serendipity Smith--has gone missing, they set out on a magical adventure.

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The Wild Robot

by Peter Brown J Brown Roz the robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island with no memory of where she is from or why she is there, and her only hope of survival is to try to learn about her new environment from the island’s hostile inhabitants.

Out Of My Mind

by Sharon M. Draper J Draper Considered by many to be mentally retarded, a brilliant, impatient fifth-grader with cerebral palsy discovers a technological device that will allow her to speak for the first time.

Full of Beans

by Jennifer L. Holm J Holm Ten-year-old Beans Curry engages in various schemes to earn money while “New Dealers” from Washington, D.C., arrive to turn run down Depression-era Key West into a tourist resort.

Me and Marvin Gardens

by A.S. King J King Obe Devlin spends a lot of his time cleaning up the creek that runs through what little is left of his family’s once extensive farmland, and worrying about what the developers are doing nearby, and the pollution it is causing-but one day he finds a strange creature by his creek that eats plastic, and soon the animal he calls Marvin Gardens becomes his personal secret, which he believes needs to be protected from pretty much everybody.

Elvis and the Underdogs

by Jenny Lee J Lee All his life Benji, now ten, has been sickly and he has long been targeted by the school bully, but after a seizure Benji gets a therapy dog that is not only big enough to protect him, it can also talk.

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Billy Sure, Kid Enterpreneur and the Invisible Inventor

by Luke Sharpe J Sharpe Billy’s dream of creating the perfect invisibility spray is threatened by a rival inventor who claims to have created the perfect way to make people disappear.

The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin

by Elinor Teele J Teele When Great Aunt Beauregard announces her intentions to bring budding engineer John into the family business of coffin manufacturing for the rest of his natural life--and, worse, to teach his sister Page to embalm--John decides enough is enough, and the two of them head out on the lam, maybe joining the circus.

Stef Soto, Taco Queen

by Jennifer Torres J Torres Mexican-American Stef Soto is hoping to break free from her overprotective parents and embarrassing reputation from her family’s taco truck business, but she soon learns that family, friendship, and the taco truck are important and wonderful parts of her life.

The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfmann

by Meg Wolitzer J Wolitzer Twelve-year-olds Duncan Dorfman, April Blunt, and Nate Saviano meet at the Youth Scrabble Tournament where, although each has a different reason for attending and for needing to win, they realize that something more important is at stake than the grand prize.

Trash Mountain

by Jane Yolen J Yolen When the gray squirrels kill his parents, a young red squirrel vows revenge, finding unlikely allies in the rats and gulls of Trash Mountain.

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JUVENILE BOOKS BIOGRAPHY

Neo Leo: The Ageless Ideas of Leonardo da Vinci

by Gene Barretta Nonfiction J 609.2 Baretta At once an artist, inventor, engineer, and scientist, Leonardo da Vinci wrote and drew detailed descriptions of what would later become hang gliders, automobiles, robots, and much more.

Ada’s Violin

by Susan Hood Nonfiction J 784.206 Hood The extraordinary true tale of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay, an orchestra made up of children playing instruments built from recycled trash.

Mr. Ferris and his Wheel

by Kathryn Gibbs Davis Nonfiction J 791.06 Davis Describes how the engineer George Ferris invented the famous carnival attraction for the renowned 1893 Chicago World’s Fair.

When Marian Sang: The True Recital of Marian Anderson, The Voice of a Century

by Pam Muñoz Ryan JB Anderson An introduction to the life of Marian Anderson, extraordinary singer and civil rights activist, who was the first African American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera, and whose life and career encouraged social change.

Trombone Shorty

by Troy Andrews JB Andrews A Grammy-nominated headliner for the New Orleans Jazz Fest describes his childhood in Tremé and how he came to be a bandleader by age six.

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Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World

by Laurie Lawlor JB Carson Retells the story of the pioneering environmentalist who wrote “Silent Spring,” the revolutionary book pointing out the dangerous effects of chemicals on the living world.

Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman

by Nikki Grimes JB Coleman A biography of Elizabeth Coleman, who battled segregation, poverty, and gender discrimination in order to become the first licensed African-American female pilot.

The Watcher: Jane Goodall’s Life with the Chimps

by Jeanette Winter JB Goodall Describes the life of Jane Goodall, from her childhood in London watching a robin on her windowsill, to her years in the African forests of Gombe, Tanzania.

Whoosh!: Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions

by Chris Barton JB Johnson Chronicles the life and achievements of the NASA engineer and inventor, from his childhood to his accidental invention of the Super Soaker water gun.

Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science: The First Computer Programmer

by Diane Stanley JB Lovelace A fascinating look the pioneering computer programmer and the daughter of the poet Lord Byron.

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FAMILY STORIES The Mouse and the Motorcycle

by Beverly Cleary J Cleary A reckless young mouse named Ralph makes friends with a boy in room 215 of the Mountain View Inn and discovers the joys of motorcycling.

How To Train Your Dragon

by Cressida Cowell J Cowell Chronicles the adventures and misadventures of Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third as he tries to pass the important initiation test of his Viking clan, the Tribe of the Hairy Hooligans, by catching and training a dragon.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

by Roald Dahl J Dahl Each of five children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka’s mysterious chocolate factory takes advantage of the situation in his own way.

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Matilda

by Roald Dahl J Dahl Matilda applies her untapped mental powers to rid the school of the evil, child-hating headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and restore her nice teacher, Miss Honey, to financial security.

The Tale of Despereaux

by Kate Dicamillo J Dicamillo The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

My Father’s Dragon

by Ruth Stiles Gannett J Gannett A young boy determines to rescue a poor baby dragon who is being used by a group of lazy wild animals to ferry them across the river on Wild Island.

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The Wind in the Willows

by Kenneth Grahame J Grahame Presents the escapades of four animal friends--Toad, Mole, Rat, and Badger--who live along a river in the English countryside.

Toys Go Out: Being the Adventures of a Knowledgeable Stingray, a Toughy Little Buffalo, and Someone Called Plastic

by Emily Jenkins J Jenkins Six stories relate the adventures of three best friends, who happen to be toys.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

by Grace Lin J Lin Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.

Little House in the Big Woods

by Laura Ingalls Wilder J Wilder A year in the life of two young girls growing up on the Wisconsin frontier, as they help their mother with the daily chores, enjoy their father’s stories and singing, and share special occasions when they get together with relatives or neighbors.

The Borrowers

by Mary Norton J Norton Miniature people who live in an old country house by borrowing things from the humans are forced to emigrate from their home under the clock.

The Boxcar Children

by Gertrude Warner J Warner Four orphans take shelter in an old, red boxcar during a storm, and, determined to make it on their own, they turn it into a safe, cozy home.

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Charlotte’s Web

by E.B. White J White A little girl named Fern raises the little runt pig, Wilbur, only to have her father give him away. At his new home, Wilbur is desolate when he discovers that he is destined to be the farmer’s Christmas dinner until his spider friend, Charlotte, decides to help him.

The Trumpet of the Swan

by E.B. White J White Louis, a voiceless Trumpeter swan, finds himself far from his wilderness home when he determines to communicate by learning to play a stolen trumpet.

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