Scarlet by Cathy Cassidy

Scarlett can’t seem to stop getting into trouble at school. She has already been shipped off to her uncle and grandmother before ending up back in London with her mum. However, Scarlett (whose hair is now a lovely shade of ketchup) has finally pushed her mom too far. She is being sent to live with her father and step-mum in the middle of nowhere in Ireland’s countryside. Now she’s going to have to learn to live with her younger stepsister (her father’s replacement daughter). At first, it seems like the only good thing about the whole situation is meeting Kian and his horse Midnight. Maybe Ireland won’t be so bad for Scarlett after all, now all she has to do is figure out how to stay in one place for once.

The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer

Jack and his sister Lucy are taken captive by a ship full of berserkers, wild humans who raid and pillage villages. Jack, a magical Bard in training, sets off on a quest to save his sister and find their way back to their family. Dragons, trolls, and giant spiders are just a few of the obstacles that Jack must get past with a little help from a shield maiden, a crow and a giant pig.

Bloomability by Sharon Creech

Bloomability by Sharon Creech is a story about a girl, Dinnie, and her journey to find herself and her home. Dinnie’s family isn’t quite like most other peoples’families. They continually move around the country while her dad chases down a string of different “opportunities”. So as to save her from the troubled fates of her older sister and brother , Dinnie is shipped off to Lugano, Switzerland to live with her uncle and aunt who run an American school.The story is fast paced and wonderfully descriptive. Dinnie makes friends with students from all over the world. Together they have adventures throughout the Swiss Alps, and learn that where you are from doesn’t really matter, and that they are all both very alike and very different from each other. This is a book that you won’t want to put down and as soon as you finish you won’t want to wait to start your own journey.

The School Story by Andrew Clements

Natalie and Zoe are a pair of twelve-year-olds who have a big secret. Natalie has written a story and after reading it Zoe decides it just MUST be published. Luckily Natalie’s mother is an editor at a publishing company, however Natalie doesn’t want her mom to know it is her story. Z oe, a girl who does not take no for an answer, hatches a foolproof plan to help her friend become a famous writer. She just runs into a few minor glitches that she needs to work out.

Welcome!

This is a place where I will post books that I recommend for 4th and 5th grade students. I will  “Book Talk” the books that come across my desk that I think are must-reads. I may also share some book suggestions from my own students. 

Happy Reading!