Special Collections
Accelerated Reader Middle Grade Collection
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Imani's Moon
by Janay Brown-Wood and Hazell MitchellWanting to do something great, Imani, a young Maasai girl with a loving mother, decides she wants to touch the moon and works hard to reach her goal despite the teasing of detractors, in a story complemented by facts about Maasai folklore and culture.
Sam and the Tigers
by Julius LesterLittle Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman is re-created in a black southern storytelling voice in which the storyteller is involved--a voice readers may recognize from his retellings of The Tales of Uncle Remus, among others. He turns Sam's deals with hungry tigers into an exuberant battle of wits, and transforms his pancake dinner into a glorious feast for the whole community.
Scorpions
by Walter Dean MyersBad Trouble
Lately everybody's messing with Jamal. His teachers, the kids at school, even his dad. And now that Jamal's brother Randy's in the slam, Crazy Mack has a crazy idea. He wants Jamal to take control of the Scorpions and run crack.
All the gang jive--Jamal has no use for it. Unless, like some say, it's the only way to cop the bread for Randy's appeal...
The story of twelve-year-old Jamal, whose life changes drastically when he acquires a gun. Though he survives the experience, it's not without sacrificing his innocence and possibly his relationship with his best friend.
Newbery Honor book
Volcanoes on Earth
by Bobbie KalmanDramatic photographs of spewing and flowing lava will capture the attention of any child. in this fantastic new book, children will be excited to learn what a volcano is and what makes it erupt. Simple explanations describe the different kinds of volcanoes, including cinder, cone-shaped, shield, and composite as well as the different kinds of lava and the land formations they create on land and under the ocean. Other topics include the reason volcanoes often erupt during earthquakes, why giant tsunami waves are sometimes created by underwater earthquakes, and how volcanoes are studied in order to predict and prepare for eruptions. Children will also enjoy making their own volcano out of household materials.
Catwings
by Ursula K. Le Guin and Ken GeistThe bestselling Catwings series!
Mrs. Jane Tabby can't explain why her four precious kittens were born with wings, but she's grateful that they are able to use their flying skills to soar away from the dangerous city slums where they were born. However, once the kittens escape the big city, they learn that country life can be just as difficult!
Nate the Great and the Mushy Valentine
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Marc SimontBeginning readers are introduced to the detective mystery genre in these chapter books. Perfect for the Common Core, kids can problem-solve with Nate, using logical thinking to solve mysteries! Nate the Great hates mushy stuff. He spies a big red paper heart taped to Sludge's doghouse. Who left Nate's dog a secret valentine? Nate will solve the case, and then there will be no more mushy stuff. At least that's what he thinks. . . .Check out the Fun Activities section in the back of the book! Visit Nate the Great and Sludge!NatetheGreatBooks.com"Nate makes a great narrator, his clipped prose mimicking that of the hard-boiled detective genre, providing short, simple sentences for beginning readers, and setting up the deadpan humor. Simont's expressive drawings, tinted with watercolor washes, illustrate the characters and the action with finesse and restraint. A most appealing choice."--Booklist, Boxed ReviewFrom the Trade Paperback edition.xed ReviewFrom the Trade Paperback edition.
Arthur Turns Green
by Marc BrownArthur is full of ideas when it comes to doing his part to save the planet. But is he actually turning green? Arthur comes home from school and begins sneaking around the house, taking notes and talking about a Big Green Machine. D.W. is suspicious of her brother's weird behavior, and when Arthur shows up late for dinner with green hands, she really gets the creeps! Will the Big Green Machine get her, too? Find out how Arthur's secret project convinces his entire family to turn green! Get to know your favorite aardvark all over again in the first new Arthur Adventure in nearly a decade!
The Berenstain Bears Go To School
by Stan Berenstain and Jan BerenstainSister Bear is worried about going to school until she meets her teachers and finds out how many fun things she will do in her classroom. When Brother Bear decides that school isn't so good, she encourages him, too.
Includes picture descriptions.
This file should make an excellent embossed braille copy.
The Berenstain Bears Go To School
by Stan Berenstain and Jan BerenstainIllus. in full color. A sympathetic story about Sister Bear, who conquers her fear of starting kindergarten.
Mercy Watson
by Kate DiCamillo and Chris Dusen"Youngsters are sure to delight in the exploits of this butter-loving pig, savoring the ‘wonky in the extreme’ text and energetic, innocent art. " -School Library Journal Some may find it wonky to take a pig to the drive-in. But not the Watsons, who think the movie’s title, When Pigs Fly, is inspirational. And not their beloved Mercy, who is inspired by the scent of real butter from the theater’s Bottomless Buckets of popcorn. As they pull up in their convertible, Mercy lifts up her snout and becomes a pig on a mission, leading a delirious chase that’s trailed by hapless rescuers reunited from Mercy’s earlier adventures.
Commander Toad and the Dis-asteroid
by Jane YolenYoung fans of Star Wars and silliness will toad-ally love Commander Toad! When Commander Toad and the crew of the Star Warts learn that a disaster has struck an asteroid, they race across the galaxy to the rescue. But it's hard to figure out just what is wrong, especially when there is a language barrier between the Star Warts' crew and the pigeon inhabitants of the dis-asteroid. A hero is needed, but is even intrepid Commander Toad brave enough to save the day?
Commander Toad In Space
by Jane YolenThe intrepid crew of the spaceship "Star Warts" lands on a water-covered planet inhabited by the Deep Wader, a horrible hungry monster.
Owl Moon
by Jane Yolen and John SchoenherrLate one winter night a child and father go owling. The trees stand still as statues and the world is silent as a dream. Wordlessly the two companions walk along, for when you go owling you don't need words. You don't need anything but hope. Sometimes there isn't an owl, but sometimes there is.
Distinguished author Jane Yolen has created a gentle, poetic story that lovingly depicts the special companionship of a child and father as well as humankind's close relationship to the natural world.
Images and image descriptions available.
Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet
by Jane O'ConnorFancy Nancy is ready for the spotlight!
Fancy Nancy and her best friend, Bree, couldn't be more excited about their upcoming dance show. After all, it's all about mermaids--and who knows how to be a fancy, glamorous mermaid better than Fancy Nancy herself? But when another ballerina wins the coveted role of the mermaid, Nancy is stuck playing a dreary, dull tree.
Can Nancy bring fancy flair to her role, even though it isn't the one she wanted? And when disaster strikes right before the big ballet, who will step in to steal the spotlight?
From bestselling duo Jane O'Connor and Robin Preiss Glasser comes a fancy, frilly ballet story with a lot of heart. Tiny fans will shout "Encore!" Picture descriptions present.
Nate the Great and the Fishy Prize
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Marc SimontNate the Great is about to enter his dog, Sludge, in the smartest pet contest. But when the prize disappears, it looks as if the contest will flop.It's a tough case for Nate and Sludge as they search for clues leading to the missing prize. In more ways than one, it's a very fishy business. Can Nate and Sludge find the prize in time?
Nate the Great and the Snowy Trail
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat and Marc SimontNate the Great, super sleuth, has his work cut out for him when Rosamond loses his birthday present. He and his faithful dog Sludge must face snow, ice, and ferocious-looking Fang, Annie's dog, to solve the case. But how can Nate find his missing present when Rosamond won't tell him what it is?
The Magic Finger
by Quentin Blake and Roald DahlWhat happens when the hunter becomes the hunted?To the Gregg family, hunting is just plain fun. To the girl who lives next door, it's just plain horrible. She tries to be polite. She tries to talk them out of it, but the Greggs only laugh at her. Then one day the Greggs go too far, and the little girl turns her Magic Finger on them. When she's very, very angry, the little girl's Magic Finger takes over. She really can't control it, and now it's turned the Greggs into birds! Before they know it, the Greggs are living in a nest, and that's just the beginning of their problems....
Arthur's Thanksgiving
by Marc BrownArthur the Aardvark finds it's hard to direct the Thanksgiving play. His classmates forget what to say, their costumes don't fit, and they're going to quit if he can't find someone to be the turkey. Ages 4-8. The pictures are described. A short fun read aloud or alone book. Read more about Arthur, his sister D. W. and his Friends. Bookshare has: Arthur Goes to Camp, Arthur Helps Out, Arthur Loses A Friend, Arthur Lost and Found, Arthur lost in the Museum, Arthur Tells A Story, Arthur Tricks The Tooth Fairy, Arthur and the Dog Show, Arthur to the Rescue, Arthur's April Fool, Arthur's Birthday, Arthur's Chicken Pox, Arthur's Eyes, Arthur's Family Vacation, Arthur's Halloween, Arthur's Mystery Babysitter, Arthur's Reading Race, Arthur's TV Trouble, Arthur's Teacher Moves In, Arthur's Teacher Trouble, Arthur's Tree House, Arthur's Underwear, D. W.'s Guide To Good Manners, D. W. Flips, D. W. Go To Your Room, Glasses for D. W. and more.
The Class Election From The Black Lagoon
by Mike ThalerEveryone has to run for something in the class election. But youd rather run for your life! Even worse, youre running against Doris, whos bought whole classs votes with ice cream. And if you lose the election, they might vote you out of school!
Commander Toad and the Space Pirates
by Jane YolenIt's been a long trip, and Commander Toad and the crew of the Star Warts are bored. They've played all the games and watched all the movies and read all the books on the ship .Then, suddenly, the alarm goes off. Before they know what is happening, the Star Warts has been boarded by pirates, led by Commander Salamander, Scourge of the Skies and Goon of the Galaxies. He's ugly, green and very mean, and he likes to make his captives play Hop the Plank--an extremely dangerous game in outer space. Can Commander Toad and his crew escape?
Ivy and Bean
by Annie Barrows and Sophie BlackallThe moment they saw each other, Bean and Ivy knew they wouldn't be friends. But when Bean plays a joke on her sister, Nancy, and has to hide, quick! Ivy comes to the rescue, proving that sometimes the best of friends are people never meant to like each other. Vibrant characters and lots of humor make this a charming - and addictive - introduction to a new series.
Commander Toad and the Big Black Hole
by Jane YolenFrom the Author's Website: I began the COMMANDER TOAD books because I saw an article in the local newspaper about a boy and his frog who had just won a jumping-frog contest. The frog's name was "Star Warts." I thought it would be funnier if the frog had been a toad, since the old superstition is that toads gives you warts. (It isn't true, of course.) So I invented frog and toads in space on a ship called "Star Warts." Every book is riddled with puns. (I love puns!) There are seven Commander Toad books altogether, though I have been thinking about possibly writing an eighth. A half-hour television show was made with puppets about Commander Toad but it wasn't very successful. For some reason, several of the characters were changed--Jake into a human boy and Doc Pepper into a turtle--and the ship's name was changed as well to "Stella." Also all the puns were missing. All the Commander Toad books were on Reading Rainbow. A PaperStar edition is in print.
Little Bear
by Else Holmelund MinarikIn one story, "Birthday Soup," Little Bear cannot find his mother and presumes she has forgotten his birthday. With the prospect of guests arriving and no cake in sight, he sets out to make birthday soup (all his friends like soup). Just as the gathering is sitting down for soup, Mother Bear shows up with a big, beautiful birthday cake.
"I never did forget your birthday, and I never will," she says to her son as he hugs her leg. In "Little Bear Goes to the Moon," Little Bear declares that he will fly to the moon in his new space helmet. Mother Bear tells him to be back by lunch, and he is.
[This text is listed as an example that meets Common Core Standards in English language arts for K-1 at http://www.corestandards.org.]
Get Well, Good Knight
by Shelley Moore ThomasThe much-heralded Good Knight is back--only this time his three little dragon friends are sick in bed. Their scaly foreheads are hot and their noses are drip-drip-dripping. They feel awful. The Good Knight comes to the rescue again! He brings them some slimy, grimy soup from the wizard to make them feel better. But the dragons wont touch it. What is a Good Knight to do?
Growing Vegetable Soup
by Lois EhlertA children's book about the vegetables to grow to make vegetable soup. Book includes a recipe for the soup at the end.