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Nancy's picks for the best junior novels
of fall 2003 and ideas for using
them in the classroom. Compiled by Nancy Polette © 2003.
| Last updated: Tuesday, October 07, 2008 |
Aiken, Joan. MIDWINTER NIGHTINGALE. Delacorte, 2003. Gr 5-8
- Didi Twite returs in a new tale including being kidnapped and
taken to an old mansion surrounded by a deadly moat. A
hard-to-put-down adventure.
Avi. THE MAYOR OF CENTRAL PARK.
HarperCollins, 2003. Gr 4-7
- Oscar has the good life as mayor of
Central Park in the year 1900 until Big Daddy Duds, all-around
thug, invades the park.
Banks, Lynne Reid. I, HOUDINI. Delacorte,
2003. Gr 4-6
- The autobiography of a hamster who is exceptionally
talented at escaping.
Britton, Susan. THE TREEKEEPERS. Dutton,
2003. Gr 5-7
- Bird, a tough street urchin, saves the life of a baby
with a forbidden medicine. She takes refuge in a remote cottage
with strange companions and is given a dangerous task that only
she can do.
Cameron, Ann. COLIBRI. Farrar, 2003. Gr 5-8
- Colibri
was kidnapped at age four and for the next eight years must travel
with a man who believes she kas the key to a treasure.
Cummings,
Priscilla. SAVING GRACE. Dutton, 2003. Gr 5-7
- With no money and a
new baby coming, Grace and her brothers are sent to a mission
home. A wealthy family takes her home for the holidays and they
treat her like a daughter. What will happen whe nit is time for
Grace to go home?
Fleischman, Sid. DISAPPEARING ACT. Greenwillow,
2003. Gr 4-6.
- An unseen man is stalking 12 year old Kevin and his
older sister. They flee in Holly's beat-up car driving west. They
hope to hide in plain sight as street perofrmers in California,
but can they eally escape Toad?
Haber, Melissa. HEROIC ADVENTURE OF
HERCULES AMSTERDAM. Dutton,2003. Gr 4-6.
- Hercules is a human boy
no taller than a mouse He decides to run away when his
parentsthreaten to send him to school. He takes refuge in a city
full of mice but finds more danger than school would ever have
been.
Hayden, Tory. THE VERY WORST THING. HarperCollins, 2003. Gr
4-6
- He isn't good at school or at making friends. He has lived in
six foster homes. David has never had anything to call his own
until he sets out to hatch and raise an owl. But a wild owl
belongs in the wild, or does it?
Jones, Diana Wynne. THE MERLIN
CONSPIRACY. Greenwillow, 2003. Gr 6-8
- Did Merlin die of a heart
attack or was he murdeed? What can three children who are just
discovering their magical powers do against the new Merlin?
McDaughrean, Geraldine. STOP THE TRAIN! HarperCollins, 2003. Gr
5-8
- Homesteaders in 1893 build near the town of Florence. Each is
offered 50.00 for his land by the railroad. When all but one
refuse to sell the railroad says the trains will no longer stop in
Florence, killing the town.. a spunky young girl with friends and
neighbors finds a way to 'stop the train' before they are forced
to abandon their homes.
Namioka, Lensey. HALF AND HALF. Delacorte.
2003. Gr 5-7
- Fiona Cheng has a Chinese father and a Scottish
mother and is confused about who she really is, especially when
the grandpaents come to town for a folk festival.
Park, Barbara.
JUNIE B, FIRST GRADER CHEATER PANTS. Random House, 2003. Gr 1-3
- What is cheating? Could Junie B. be a cheater pants and not even
know it?
Strickland, Brad. THE WHISTLE, THE GRAVE AND THE GHOST.
Dial, 2003. Gr 4-7
- On a camping trip Lewis finds an ancient
whistle and a strange grave. While the whistle will keep a bully
away, it also can summonup an ancient vampire!
Yep, Lawrence. THE
TIGER'S APPRENTICE.HarperCollins, 2003. Gr 5-7
- It isn't every day
you meet a tiger. And certainly not a tiger in a suit and tie. And
definitely not one who knows your first name. A rich fantasy where
animals take human form.
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