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Accelerated Reader Middle Grade Collection
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The Lemonade War
by Jacqueline DaviesFor a full hour, he poured lemonade. The world is a thirsty place, he thought as he nearly emptied his fourth pitcher of the day. And I am the Lemonade King. Fourth grader Evan Treski is people-smart. He's good at talking with people, even grownups. His younger sister, Jessie, on the other hand, is math-smart, but not especially good with people. So when the siblings' lemonade-stand war begins, there really is no telling who will win--or even if their fight will ever end. Brimming with savvy marketing tips for making money at any business, definitions of business terms, charts, diagrams, and even math problems, this fresh, funny, emotionally charged novel subtly explores how arguments can escalate beyond anyone's intent. This book features a teaser chapter from book two of the Lemonade War series, The Lemonade Crime.
Longbow Girl
by Linda DaviesThe stunningly written start to an exciting new trilogy about a smart, strong, bold girl who travels back in time to protect her family's past and ensure its future using her archery skills.Set in the wilds of the Welsh mountains, the brave and beautiful longbow girl, Merry Owen, discovers a river that takes her back in time to the autocratic kingdom of King Henry VIII. While there she finds she must compete in an archery tournament to save her ancestors' land from being seized by their aristocratic neighbors the de Courcys. Merry's best friend James de Courcy (and heir to the de Courcy wealth) follows her back in time and the two get tangled up in their families' ancient histories. There are forces working against them both in the past and the present. Will they be able to survive their pasts to save their futures?
Pete the Cat
by James DeanPete the Cat is hungry. What should he make for lunch? Pete decides to make a sandwich! But this isn't an ordinary sandwich. . . . Pete has some pretty groovy ideas about what should go inside. And the bigger this sandwich gets, the more ideas Pete has! But what happens if Pete's sandwich gets too big for him to eat?
The Rhino in Right Field
by Stacy DeKeyserA boy who loves baseball must get past his hard-working immigrant parents—and the rhino in the outfield—to become a batboy in this laugh-out-loud middle grade novel in the tradition of The Sandlot.
Nick wants to change his life. For twelve whole years, he’s done what his hard-working, immigrant parents want him to do. Now he’s looking for his own American dream and he thinks he’s found it. The local baseball team is having a batboy contest. Nick’s goal—to be a Mudpuppy for a day! But the contest is on a Saturday—the day Nick has to work in his father’s shop. There’s one other tiny—well, not so tiny—problem. A 2,000-pound rhinoceros named Tank. Nick and his friends play ball right in the city zoo—and Tank lives just beyond the right field fence. Nick’s experience getting the ball out of Tank’s pen has left him frozen with fear whenever a fly ball comes his way. How’s a lousy fielder going to win the contest? One thing Nick knows how to do is work hard, and he practices every day with his best friend, Ace, and a new girl named Penny, who has an impressive throwing arm! But that’s not enough—to get to the contest, Nick resorts to a plan that has him lying to his parents and blackmailing his uncle. All while dodging the school bully, who’s determined to win even by playing dirty.
Nick will need to keep his eye on the ball and find the courage to face his fears—oh yeah, and stay one step ahead of Tank—in this fast, funny story about a game that can throw you some curveballs—just like life!
Mirror, Mirror On The Wall
by Barry DenenbergBlinded after a terrible accident, Bess must learn to overcome her disability with the help of new friends and skills at the Perkins School for the Blind, in the wake of America's Great Depression.
After Bess Brennan is blinded in a sledding accident, she must face a frightening, much-altered world. Confronted with a new set of obstacles, Bess manages to overcome her disability with the help of her new friends at the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, Massachusetts, where she also learns how to read braille. Her twin sister, Elin, assists her with recording daily events in her diary and contributes entries of her own. Set against the backdrop of the Great Depression, Bess's story will inspire all readers to be strong in the face of hardship.
So Far from Home
by Barry DenenbergCritically acclaimed author Barry Denenberg turns a sharp eye on life for a young Irish immigrant at the Lowell Mill.
When Will This Cruel War Be Over
by Barry DenenbergA Confederate girl growing up in the South during the Civil War reveals the hardships of southern life as the war tears her family and the nation apart.
Cookie's Week
by Cindy Ward and Tomie DepaolaCookie likes to explore, but something goes wrong every day of the week. Image descriptions present.
Big Girl Small
by Rachel DewoskinThe acclaimed author of "Repeat After Me" presents a scathingly funny and moving novel about a 16-year-old girl who becomes caught in a controversy that might bring down her whole school--a scandal that has something to do with the fact Judy is three feet nine inches tall.
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamilloRecalling the fiction of Harper Lee and Carson McCullers, here is a funny, poignant, and utterly genuine first novel from a major new talent.
The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket--and comes out with a dog. A big, ugly, suffering dog with a sterling sense of humor. A dog she dubs Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, the preacher tells Opal ten things about her absent mother, one for each year Opal has been alive. Winn-Dixie is better at making friends than anyone Opal has ever known, and together they meet the local librarian, Miss Franny Block, who once fought off a bear with a copy of WAR AND PEACE. They meet Gloria Dump, who is nearly blind but sees with her heart, and Otis, an ex-con who sets the animals in his pet shop loose after hours, then lulls them with his guitar.Opal spends all that sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends and thinking about her mother. But because of Winn-Dixie or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship--and forgiveness--can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.
Newbery Medal Honor book
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.
Mercy Watson Fights Crime
by Kate DiCamillo and Chris DusenThe beguiling porcine wonder turns bucking bronco to snare a robber in this hilarious new addition to the NEW YORK TIMES bestselling series. Leroy Ninker is a small man with a big dream: he wants to be a cowboy, but for now he's just a thief. In fact, Leroy is robbing the Watsons' kitchen right this minute! As he drags the toaster across the counter -- screeeeeech -- and drops it into his bag -- clannngggg -- little does he know that a certain large pig who loves toast with a great deal of butter is stirring from sleep. Even less could he guess that comedy of errors (not to mention the buttery sweets in his pocket) will soon lead this little man on the wild and raucous rodeo ride he's always dreamed of! Nosy neighbors, astonished firemen, a puzzled policeman, and the ever-doting Watsons return for a new tongue-in-snout adventure about Kate DiCamillo's delightfully single-minded pig.
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride
by Chris Dusen and Kate DiCamilloMr. and Mrs. Watson's porcine wonder, Mercy, loves nothing more than a ride in the car. It takes a fair amount of nudging and bribing and a "You are such a good sport, darling" to get the portly pig out of the driver's seat, but once the convertible is on the road, Mercy loves the feel of the wind tickling her ears and the sun on her snout. One day the Watsons' motoring ritual takes an unexpected turn, however, when their elderly neighbor Baby Lincoln pops up in the backseat in hopes of some "folly and adventure" – and in the chaos that ensues, an exuberant Mercy ends up behind the wheel! Soon there's a policeman on her tail, a struggle for the brake, and a blissfully airborne Mercy. Of course, it's nothing that an extra helping of buttered toast can't fix!
Mercy Watson Goes for a Ride
by Kate DiCamillo and Chris DusenMercy loves nothing more than a ride in the convertible, with the wind tickling her ears and the sun on her snout. But one day the Watsons’ elderly neighbor Baby Lincoln pops up in the backseat in hopes of some “folly and adventure” — and in the chaos that ensues, an exuberant Mercy ends up behind the wheel!
Mercy Watson to the Rescue
by Chris Dusen and Kate DiCamilloTo Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig -- she's a porcine wonder.
And to the good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them.
This is not, however, so good for the Watsons' bed. BOOM! CRACK!
Mercy Watson to the Rescue
by Kate DiCamillo and Chris DusenTo Mr. and Mrs. Watson, Mercy is not just a pig -- she's a porcine wonder.
And to the good-natured Mercy, the Watsons are an excellent source of buttered toast, not to mention that buttery-toasty feeling she gets when she snuggles into bed with them.
This is not, however, so good for the Watsons' bed. BOOM! CRACK!
The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamilloWelcome to the story of Despereaux Tilling, a mouse who is in love with music, stories, and a princess named Pea. It is also the story of a rat called Roscuro, who lives in the darkness and covets a world filled with light. And it is the story of Miggery Sow, a slow-witted serving girl who harbors a simple, impossible wish. These three characters are about to embark on a journey that will lead them down into a horrible dungeon, up into a glittering castle, and, ultimately, into each other's lives. What happens then? As Kate DiCamillo would say: Reader, it is your destiny to find out. Winner of the 2000 Newbery award, and from the master storyteller who brought us Because of Winn-Dixie. This is another classic, a fairy tale full of quirky, unforgettable characters.
Winner of the 2000 Newbery award.
Winner of Pacific Northwest Library Association’s Young Reader’s Choice Junior Award
Rap a Tap Tap, Here's Bojangles--Think of That!
by Leo Dillon and Diane DillonThis book for young children tells the story of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson--an African-American tap dancer and one of the most popular entertainers of the 1920's-30s.
Sammy Keyes and the Art of Deception
by Wendelin Van DraanenSammy Keyes has a lot of nerve, turning up in sneakers to a fancy art gallery reception and asking why a framed orange splat is worth $10,000. Eyebrows raise. Noses are turned up. But then Sammy tackles a thief who tries to break up the soiree with a stick-up. Now the patrons of the arts are glad she has a lot of nerve. Or are they?
Sammy may have stopped a criminal, but the real crime has yet to be discovered. The real crime is more subtle, more artful than anything Sammy has ever seen. Who would have thought art could be so dangerous?
Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary
by Wendelin Van Draanen"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" --Midwest Children's Book ReviewWhen Sammy and her friends meet Lucinda Huntley walking her 200-pound pig down the middle of the road, their quiet weekend in the country quickly becomes an adventure. Lucinda tells them a true tale of the Wild West, her great-grandma Moustache Mary, and a century-old family feud.But this feud is hardly ancient history. Past and present collide--and combust!--when Mary's pioneer cabin burns to the ground. Sammy thinks the cause of the fire may be a hundred years old, but still, the gas can she finds near the scene of the crime is shiny and new. . . .The Sammy Keyes mysteries are fast-paced, funny, thoroughly modern, and true whodunits. Each mystery is exciting and dramatic, but it's the drama in Sammy's personal life that keeps readers coming back to see what happens next with her love interest Casey, her soap-star mother, and her mysterious father.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary
by Wendelin Van DraanenWhat's supposed to be a quiet weekend in the country turns into a crossroads adventure when Sammy and her friends meet Lucinda Huntley walking her 200-pound pig down the middle of the road. She tells them a true tale of the Wild West, a story of tough times, wagon trains, her great-grandma Moustache Mary, and a century-old family feud.
But this feud is hardly ancient history. Past and present collide -- and combust! -- when Mary's pioneer cabin burns to the ground. Sammy thinks the cause of the fire may be a hundred years old, but still, the gas can she finds near the scene of the crime is shiny and new. . . .
Sammy Keyes and the Dead Giveaway
by Wendelin Van DraanenThe bad news: Sammy's made a deadly mistake. The good news: No one knows she did it. The delicious dilemma: Everyone thinks her archenemy Heather is to blame.
Now Heather's in a major jam, and in some ways it's only fair--Heather's pinned more than a few crimes on Sammy. Besides, there are distractions galore to keep Sammy from confessing. Like the end of the school year. And the Farewell Dance. Especially the dance, because she's going with Heather's brother, Casey.
But Sammy knows that the truth has an uncanny way of resurfacing, and when it does, the stench can be more vile than the junior high cafeteria.
Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen
by Wendelin Van DraanenThis time the 13-year-old sleuth is up against a cat burglar - literally! Cats are disappearing and Sammy is finding some of them in neighborhood garbage cans - dead!
Just as Sammy discovers that her archenemy Heather is her "star" sister and shares her birthday, Sammy's mother arrives to inform her that she isn't really turning 14 - so it's another year of unlucky 13!
But the savvy sleuth has been up against a lot worse and come out on top so maybe this is the year Sammy's luck will change!
Sammy Keyes and the Search for Snake Eyes
by Wendelin Van DraanenIn her most dangerous mystery to date, Sammy is literally left "holding the bag"!
When a strange girl who is trying to escape from a scary looking guy at the mall asks her to watch her shopping bag and then flees, Sammy is alarmed to discover that inside the bag is a baby!
In her seventh adventure, the intrepid detective puts her life on the line as she confronts the seamy gang life of her hometown in her search for the baby's mother.
And, as usual, her attempts to solve the case are thwarted along the way by her high school nemesis Acosta and problems with her grandmother's nosy new neighbor in this edge-of-the seat mystery.
Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things
by Wendelin Van DraanenSammy Keyes trades in her hightops for hiking boots--and winds up with blisters.
This is not the summer camping trip of Sammy's dreams. She imagined shady glades, meandering streams, a deer or two. What she gets are scrubby shrubs, blazing sun, rattlesnakes, ticks, and scorpions. Her fellow campers are desperate to catch a rare glimpse of an endangered condor. To Sammy, the trip is nothing more than the painful in pursuit of the unspeakably ugly.
But when she and two other girls find an injured condor, Sammy's intrigued at last. As they track down a clue, they stumble onto two classmates and wind up lost. Which leaves three girls and two boys in a canyon with one tent and six billion biting flies. Oh--and an armed and dangerous high stakes poacher. S'mores anyone?