Dragon Masters Series by Tracey West
Drake was simply picking onions like a young farming peasant does, when one of the King’s soldiers appears. Drake is pulled onto the soldier’s horse and told he is chosen. He heads to the castle, and meets other children, all chosen as Dragon Masters. Drake is assigned a dragon, and adventure awaits him at every turn. Short paragraphs, engaging pictures, and an exciting plot line for beginning chapter book readers.
Independent Reading Level: Beginning 3rd Grade
Appropriate for ages 6-8
To Purchase on Amazon, click here:
Rise of the Earth Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters 1)
Saving the Sun Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters 2)
Secret of the Water Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters 3)
Power of the Fire Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters 4)
Song of the Poison Dragon (Dragon Masters. Scholastic Branches)
Flight of the Moon Dragon: A Branches Book (Dragon Masters 6) (Dragon Masters. Scholastic Branches)
Kung Pow Chicken Series by Cyndi Marko
Gordon Blue is just an ordinary chicken with a big secret. He was accidently dropped into a vat of toxic sludge by his scientist uncle. Now he has, you guessed it, SUPER POWERS! He has a secret identity as Kung- Pow Chicken. He fights bad guys with his brother and super- secret side kick, Egg Drop. These books are full of puns, fast paced action scenes, and engaging illustrations.
Independent Reading Level: End of 2nd Grade
Appropriate for ages 5-8
To Purchase on Amazon, click here:
Let’s Get Cracking!: A Branches Book (Kung Pow Chicken 1)
Bok! Bok! Boom!: A Branches Book (Kung Pow Chicken 2)
The Birdy Snatchers: A Branches Book (Kung Pow Chicken 3)
Heroes on the Side: A Branches Book (Kung Pow Chicken 4)
Princess in Black Series by Shannon Hale
The Princess in black is visiting at a proper tea when she is called off for secret spy work. She lives a double life, part time princess, part time ‘Princess in Black’ solving problems and fighting bad guys. These books are delightful, funny, and appeal to boys and girls. Do not let boys be deterred by a Princess on the cover, she solves mysteries, fights trolls, and swoops in to save the day at the last minute. This series is a perfect choice for any reader who likes funny adventures.
Independent Reading Level: 2nd-3rd Grade
Appropriate for ages 5-9
To Purchase on Amazon, click here:
The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party
The Princess in Black and the Hungry Bunny Horde
The Princess in Black Takes a Vacation
Mercy Watson Series by Kate DiCamillio
Mercy is a lovable pet pig owned by Mr. and Mrs. Watson. She gets into all sorts of mishaps. These books are lighthearted, upbeat, and funny. The illustrations are colorful and appealing. Kate DiCamillio has a gift for using varied and rich vocabulary. If you are home-schooling, I would use them as a vocabulary teaching tool. Challenge your child to find the 10 most unusual words and write a story using them all. Just an idea! I love Mercy Watson! Your child will too.
Independent Reading Level: 2nd-3rd
Appropriate for ages 5-9
To Purchase on Amazon, click here:
Mercy Watson: Princess in Disguise
The Miniature World of Marvin and James
Marvin is a beetle, James is a boy, and they are best friends. James has to go away on a beach vacation. Marvin has to stay home; he is sad and lonely without his best friend. He goes on adventures to the pencil sharpener with his cousin Elaine, and gets into some mischief. However, he cannot shake the fear that James will not come home, or worse, not want a beetle best friend anymore. This charming story teaches the lesson that you can make new friends, but keep the old. This book is delightfully illustrated, with the perfect amount of tension to keep a child engaged.
Independent Reading Level: Middle 2nd Grade
Appropriate for Ages: 5-9
To Purchase on Amazon, click here:
The Miniature World of Marvin & James (The Masterpiece Adventures)
James to the Rescue (The Masterpiece Adventures)
The Ruby Lu Series by Lenore Look
Ruby lives on 20th Ave W and could charm a binky away from a baby. Every child will relate to her, and parents will love her as well. She is spirited, but smart, clever, and kind-hearted. She lives on Beacon Hill and attends Kimball Elementary four blocks from her house. This series is a true gem. The voice of Ruby is funny, strong, and endearing. Diversity is included respectfully, without stereotyping. The Ruby series resonates with the voice the beloved Ramona Quimby. Read these!
Independent Reading Level: 3rd Grade
Appropriate for Ages: 6-8
To Purchase on Amazon, click here:
Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything
Tales from Maple Ridge by Grace Gilmore
Logan Pryce lives on a farm with his family. He loves inventing new gadgets out of old junk, and caring for the animals. These books are a good prelude to the Little House Series, a manageable size with simple text, pictures, and large type face. They are wholesome and focus on working together as a family.
Independent Reading Level: 3rd Grade
Appropriate for Ages: 5-9
To Purchase on Amazon, click here:
Logan Pryce Makes a Mess (Tales from Maple Ridge)
The Lucky Wheel (Tales from Maple Ridge)
The Big City (Tales from Maple Ridge)
The New Kid (Tales from Maple Ridge)
The Ghost of Juniper Creek (Tales from Maple Ridge)
Lost in the Blizzard (Tales from Maple Ridge)
The Chicken Squad Series by Doreen Cronin
Cute and funny chickens with major kid appeal get up to many misadventures. These have lots of pictures to break up the text, they are silly, and with a plot that engages children. Parents will love the Chicken Squad as well.
Independent Reading Level: 3rd Grade
Appropriate for Ages 6-8
To Purchase on Amazon, click here:
The Chicken Squad: The First Misadventure
The Case of the Weird Blue Chicken: The Next Misadventure (The Chicken Squad)
Into the Wild: Yet Another Misadventure (The Chicken Squad)
The Owl Diaries by Rebecca Elliot
I can attest to boys reading and loving these books as well as girls. The boys in my class who were ready for chapter books eagerly read this series. Eva has many sweet and endearing adventures. The Owl Diaries have so much visual appeal, which engages all children.
Independent Reading Level: 2nd Grade
Appropriate for Ages 6-8
To Purchase on Amazon, click here:
Eva’s Treetop Festival: A Branches Book (Owl Diaries 1)
Eva Sees a Ghost: A Branches Book (Owl Diaries 2)
A Woodland Wedding (Owl Diaries 3): A Branches Book
Eva and the New Owl (Owl Diaries)
Warm Hearts Day: A Branches Book (Owl Diaries 5)
The Who Was Series
I have seen many children reluctant to read non-fiction devour these biographies. They have illustrations, and explain complicated history in a way that children understand and care about. Every person you want to learn about has been featured. I read about Winston Churchill today and learned a plethora of facts I never knew.
The Independent Reading Levels Vary, but most are 4th-5th Grade
They make a wonderful read- aloud books
To Purchase on Amazon, click here: Who Was Helen Keller?
This book pierced my heart. I ached with the characters, cried for their pain, and rejoiced in their victories. Ada and her brother Jamie have lived with their mother void of all care and love for their entire existence. Ada was born with a clubfoot and has never left her small flat in London. The best thing to happen to these two children was World War II. The children are sent away from London for fear of bombing, and their life opens up great and wide. They land on the doorstep of a kind woman, not at all prepared for tending to children. They are all rescued through love. This is a story that proves the people you choose to love are your family. It is tender and full of redemption. It teaches children history, and a heaping serving of empathy and compassion.
Esperanza has only known luxury, comfort, and love on her large ranch in Mexico. Her father is a good boss, providing well for the workers in his vineyards. When an uprising tears Esperanza’s family apart, her life of luxury is taken, and her world is forever changed. Their family boards a train for the United States, hopeful to find work harvesting crops. I was reminded of The Secret Garden reading Esperanza’s first experiences with class differences and hunger. This book is imperative, it shows children the human side of immigration, and can be a perfect tool to discuss the issues facing our country right now. Esperanza learns to work hard, to humble herself, and that the power of a loving family can sustain you through very rough circumstances. The chapters follow the seasons as they harvest crops. I loved the framework it gave the story. If you teach middle grade novels, add this to your list of must reads. It can open up important discussions about immigration, refugees, and social justice. It is a superb book.
Sixth grade is hard; and even harder when reading seems impossible and bullies are a constant. For Ally Nickerson, school is grim, like living under a raincloud without a sunbreak in sight. However, a teacher named Mr. Daniels and two off beat characters come into Ally’s life, and become the sunbreak she has needed. Hunt writes about dyslexia with a pen of empathy, she brings understanding and compassion to a problem that many students face in school. Many themes resonate through this book, accepting yourself, and standing up for your friends, persevering through struggles, and looking at the world through someone else’s eyes. If I taught intermediate students I would add this to a summer reading list. If I have a voracious reader who enjoys realistic fiction, I would feed it to them. If I knew a child with dyslexia I would read it out loud to them, so they could enjoy a story and cheer with Ally as she finds her courage, faces her challenges, and triumphs.
Written over sixty years ago, this classic story is powerful. Sadly, the themes are still relevant in present day struggles. This simple story exemplifies the pain of bullying and the regret of staying silent instead standing up for another person. Wanda is the child with a single parent lacking resources, a child learning English only at school, a child struggling to read, or any immigrant or oppressed people group. Wanda, the poor immigrant from Poland could be any child. This books shows bullying is wrong and hurtful, but passively letting it happen is equally as wrong. An affecting book to start a discussion.
Living inside a truly brilliant mind is a gift and a trial. For 12 year old willow Chance, both of these are true. Willow is gifted beyond measure with a love of horticulture. If you are my soulmate you read that sentence and thought, you had me at love of horticulture. If you are not my soul mate, I will press on to sell you on this middle grade novel. Willow does not fit in at school but is deeply loved by her parents, this grounds her and gives her the footing she needs in the world, until she enters 7th grade. Her fashion choices, odd interests, and obsessions work against her. Tragic strikes Willow and she is unmoored. This is a story about unlikely heroes, how people change, and taking care of those around you, family or not. This is a sweet and simple story and a quick read, but it will move you. I loved seeing the world through Willow’s detailed and quirky mind. I adored her knowledge of the natural world and the kinship she feels towards plants. My own heart runs green with love for the science of growing things. I hope you give Willow a Chance, it will be time well spent.
Deb Lund captures the joy, wonder, and crazy transformation pregnancy brings to a new mother. This beautiful picture book tells her pregnancy and birth story. If you have a newborn, or a smaller child, write your wife’s pregnancy and birth story in the book. Include the funny, tender, and special memories to make a keepsake for the mother of your children.
Where did moms learn all their amazing skills? They attended Mom School, of course. This is a witty, sweet, and loving way to tell about all ways mothers love and care for their children. If you have older children, ask them what their mom learned at mom school. If they don’t understand, ask them what their mom does well. Write it in the front cover with their age and the year. Any mother will feel appreciated, loved, and special on Mother’s Day.
A father’s small, wise, and calculated investment has grown into a large sum of cash. For the Plumb siblings, this cash is the security blanket to cover up a multitude of mistakes. Bea, Leo, Jack, and Melody Plumb are all in different states of upheaval in their lives. Their fathers nest egg is about to be distributed equally to all four of them, and they are counting on that money to fix their problems. Sadly, money cannot fix all problems. The siblings are all forced to examine their lives and relationships with each other. The Nest makes a fantastic book club choice because the characters are outrageous, frustrating, relatable, and sometimes horrid people. However, some characters transform into better versions of themselves, and the story comes full circle in a satisfying ending. Read it with a friend so you can talk about it, it is book that lends itself to discussion. Our book club agreed we all liked it better after we had talked it through
Our April Book Club pick is The Nest by Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney.
Beginnings and Book Ends 