Simple Chapter Books
Freckle Juice
By: Judy Blume
Nicky has freckles. They cover his face, ears, and the whole back of his neck. If Andrew had freckles like Nicky, his mother would never know if his neck was dirty. But how exactly do you get freckles? For 50 cents, know-it all Sharon has the answer - a secret family recipe. 50 cents is a lot of money, but Andrew is desperate. It's not until after he goes home and carefully mixes the strange combination of ingredients that he realizes he might be getting more than he paid for. ~book summary
Challenge: Read the first 2 chapters
By: Judy Blume
Nicky has freckles. They cover his face, ears, and the whole back of his neck. If Andrew had freckles like Nicky, his mother would never know if his neck was dirty. But how exactly do you get freckles? For 50 cents, know-it all Sharon has the answer - a secret family recipe. 50 cents is a lot of money, but Andrew is desperate. It's not until after he goes home and carefully mixes the strange combination of ingredients that he realizes he might be getting more than he paid for. ~book summary
Challenge: Read the first 2 chapters
Ivy and Bean
By: Annie Barrows
The moment they saw each other, Bean and Ivy knew they would never be friends. But when Bean plays a trick on her sister and has to hide-quick!-Ivy comes to the rescue with her wand, some face paint, and a bucket of worms. Will they end up in trouble? ~book summary
Challenge: Read the first 2 chapters
By: Annie Barrows
The moment they saw each other, Bean and Ivy knew they would never be friends. But when Bean plays a trick on her sister and has to hide-quick!-Ivy comes to the rescue with her wand, some face paint, and a bucket of worms. Will they end up in trouble? ~book summary
Challenge: Read the first 2 chapters
The Buddy Files: The Case of the Lost Boy
By: Dori Hillestad Butler
When King's family goes missing, King is put in a pound where he is adopted by Connor and his mom. Things start to get confusing when his new family starts calling him Buddy. Then, Connor disappears! Will he be able to find Connor? What happened to his other family?
Buddy (aka King) is on the case!
Challenge: Read the first 2 chapters
By: Dori Hillestad Butler
When King's family goes missing, King is put in a pound where he is adopted by Connor and his mom. Things start to get confusing when his new family starts calling him Buddy. Then, Connor disappears! Will he be able to find Connor? What happened to his other family?
Buddy (aka King) is on the case!
Challenge: Read the first 2 chapters
Longer Chapter Books
Fantasy
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
by Grace Lin
Minli is a young girl who lives with her mother and father in a very poor village at the base of a fruitless mountain. She begins a quest to change the fate of her village and bring fortune to her family. But she must face a hard and dangerous journey to meet the Old Man in the Moon who has the answer to all of her questions. Along the way, she meets a very unique cast of characters and learns things are not always what they seem. But will she be able to survive and meet the Old Man in the Moon, a person nearly impossible to meet?
Challenge: Read the first 3 chapters.
by Grace Lin
Minli is a young girl who lives with her mother and father in a very poor village at the base of a fruitless mountain. She begins a quest to change the fate of her village and bring fortune to her family. But she must face a hard and dangerous journey to meet the Old Man in the Moon who has the answer to all of her questions. Along the way, she meets a very unique cast of characters and learns things are not always what they seem. But will she be able to survive and meet the Old Man in the Moon, a person nearly impossible to meet?
Challenge: Read the first 3 chapters.
Artemis Fowl
By: Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl is the 12 year-old genius boy who devises a plan to bring back the Fowl's huge family fortune. With his trusted servant, Butler, at his side, Artemis puts his scheme into motion. However, his plan may bring more trouble than it is worth. Sometimes, being so smart puts you in tough, sticky situations.
Challenge: Read the first 3 chapters.
By: Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl is the 12 year-old genius boy who devises a plan to bring back the Fowl's huge family fortune. With his trusted servant, Butler, at his side, Artemis puts his scheme into motion. However, his plan may bring more trouble than it is worth. Sometimes, being so smart puts you in tough, sticky situations.
Challenge: Read the first 3 chapters.
Historical Fiction
Realistic Fiction
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup
By: Sharon Creech
Twelve-year-old Rosie and her best friend, Bailey, don't always get along, that's true. But Granny Torrelli seems to know just how to make things right again with her interesting stories and family recipes. It's easier to remember what's important about love, life, and friendship while Granny Torrelli makes soup.
With the help of her wise old grandmother, twelve-year-old Rosie manages to work out some problems in her relationship with her best friend, Bailey, the boy next door. ~barnesandnoble.com
By: Sharon Creech
Twelve-year-old Rosie and her best friend, Bailey, don't always get along, that's true. But Granny Torrelli seems to know just how to make things right again with her interesting stories and family recipes. It's easier to remember what's important about love, life, and friendship while Granny Torrelli makes soup.
With the help of her wise old grandmother, twelve-year-old Rosie manages to work out some problems in her relationship with her best friend, Bailey, the boy next door. ~barnesandnoble.com
Strider
By: Beverly Cleary
Fourteen-year-old Leigh Botts and his mom live in a run-down "cottage" in Pacific Grove. His parents are divorced, and being left behind by his trucker dad still hurts. Then, one day Leigh finds a hungry dog abandoned on the beach. Leigh coaxes the dog home, names him Strider, and runs with him along the beach. He even teaches him to read-really! ~book summary
Sequel to Beverly Cleary's beloved book, Dear Mr. Henshaw, Strider is a wonderful tale about friendship and growing up.
Challenge: Read the first 25 pages.
By: Beverly Cleary
Fourteen-year-old Leigh Botts and his mom live in a run-down "cottage" in Pacific Grove. His parents are divorced, and being left behind by his trucker dad still hurts. Then, one day Leigh finds a hungry dog abandoned on the beach. Leigh coaxes the dog home, names him Strider, and runs with him along the beach. He even teaches him to read-really! ~book summary
Sequel to Beverly Cleary's beloved book, Dear Mr. Henshaw, Strider is a wonderful tale about friendship and growing up.
Challenge: Read the first 25 pages.
The Secret Garden
By: Frances Burness
Mary Lennox was a thin, selfish, sour-looking girl who loved no one, and no one loved her. When her parents died from the cholera, Mary is sent to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor. Through the strange behavior of the servants and the noises she hears at night, Mary begins to discover that her new home holds many secrets, including the rumor of a beautiful garden no one has seen for 20 years, and how those secrets change her.
Challenge: Read the first 5 chapters
By: Frances Burness
Mary Lennox was a thin, selfish, sour-looking girl who loved no one, and no one loved her. When her parents died from the cholera, Mary is sent to live with her uncle at Misselthwaite Manor. Through the strange behavior of the servants and the noises she hears at night, Mary begins to discover that her new home holds many secrets, including the rumor of a beautiful garden no one has seen for 20 years, and how those secrets change her.
Challenge: Read the first 5 chapters
A Week in the Woods
By: Andrew Clements
The fifth-grade Week in the Woods is a beloved tradition of Hardy Elementary, where Mark Chelmsley (the Fourth) is pretty much wasting time before his parents send him off to an exclusive prep school. But then Mark realizes that the Week might be a chance to prove to Mr. Maxwell that he is not just another of the slacker rich kids the teacher can't stand. But it may be too late for Mark to change Mr. Maxwell's opinion of him. On the first day of the Week, the tension between teacher and student explodes, and in a reckless moment, Mark puts not only himself, but also Mr. Maxwell, in grave danger. Can two strong adversaries work together to save their lives?
Challenge: Read
By: Andrew Clements
The fifth-grade Week in the Woods is a beloved tradition of Hardy Elementary, where Mark Chelmsley (the Fourth) is pretty much wasting time before his parents send him off to an exclusive prep school. But then Mark realizes that the Week might be a chance to prove to Mr. Maxwell that he is not just another of the slacker rich kids the teacher can't stand. But it may be too late for Mark to change Mr. Maxwell's opinion of him. On the first day of the Week, the tension between teacher and student explodes, and in a reckless moment, Mark puts not only himself, but also Mr. Maxwell, in grave danger. Can two strong adversaries work together to save their lives?
Challenge: Read
Mystery
Adventure
Humor
Sideways Stories From the Wayside School
By: Louis Sachar
Wayside School was supposed to be composed of thirty classrooms, on one story. However, the builder constructed a thirty story building with an extra large playground (He said he was very sorry). Consequently, everything about Wayside School is topsy-turvy. The higher one climbs, the stranger the people and the weirder the incident.
With each story, the characters leave reality behind and enter a world where people who sleep in class learn more than those who do not, dead rats walk into classrooms wearing raincoats (and talking), little girls try to sell their toes and a bite in the arm with missing teeth hurts a lot. Everyone adheres to the literal translation of conversations, but things somehow make sense and the people follow appropriate paths and have good (if slightly skewed) morals. ~allreaders.com
Challenge: Read the first 3 stories!
By: Louis Sachar
Wayside School was supposed to be composed of thirty classrooms, on one story. However, the builder constructed a thirty story building with an extra large playground (He said he was very sorry). Consequently, everything about Wayside School is topsy-turvy. The higher one climbs, the stranger the people and the weirder the incident.
With each story, the characters leave reality behind and enter a world where people who sleep in class learn more than those who do not, dead rats walk into classrooms wearing raincoats (and talking), little girls try to sell their toes and a bite in the arm with missing teeth hurts a lot. Everyone adheres to the literal translation of conversations, but things somehow make sense and the people follow appropriate paths and have good (if slightly skewed) morals. ~allreaders.com
Challenge: Read the first 3 stories!
Oggie Cooder
By: Sarah Weeks
Oggie Cooder has a talent. He charves (chews and carves) pieces of cheese into any shape he wants them to be. He doesn't think charging is anything special, and most of the kids at his school think it's a little weird. But then a big TV show comes looking for people with weird talents, and Oggie is suddenly Mr. Popular...especially with Donnica Perfecto, the girl across the street who wants to be famous, no matter what. Will Oggie be able to charve his way to the top and become a Big Cheese?~book summary
Challenge: Read the first 3 chapters.
By: Sarah Weeks
Oggie Cooder has a talent. He charves (chews and carves) pieces of cheese into any shape he wants them to be. He doesn't think charging is anything special, and most of the kids at his school think it's a little weird. But then a big TV show comes looking for people with weird talents, and Oggie is suddenly Mr. Popular...especially with Donnica Perfecto, the girl across the street who wants to be famous, no matter what. Will Oggie be able to charve his way to the top and become a Big Cheese?~book summary
Challenge: Read the first 3 chapters.