CurriConnects Book List - USA Regional Books
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USA Regional Books
Discover books about each of the fifty United States and some U.S. regions. Move your students beyond state facts by encouraging them to select independent reading books to immerse them in the life of the state. This extensive list is sorted by state, with books listed in ascending level "bands" within each state. Listings include ESL and Lexile® levels so every student can read successfully. Go beyond state "reports" to state experiences.
For history, economics, facts, famous people, and sights to see in each state, try TeachersFirst's 50 States, the perfect complement to these independent reading selections.
U.S. - All states
A is for America: An American Alphabet - Devin Scillian, (978-1585360154) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are especially noteworthy about the U.S.
Alabama
Y is for Yellowhammer: An Alabama Alphabet - Carol Crane, (978-1585361182) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about Alabama.
Walking to the Bus-Rider Blues - Harriette Gillem Robinet, (978-0689838866) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 550, ESL level: 3
A grandmother and two grandchildren take part in the historic Montgomery, Alabama bus boycott of 1956, searching for rent money and singing themed blues.
Bird - Angela Johnson, (978-0142405444) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-10, Lexile: 710, ESL level: 3 - 4
Bird trails her stepfather to Alabama, trying to encourage him to return home; at the same time she meets some troubled children whom she attempts to help.
Inside Out and Back Again - Lai Thanhha, (978-0061962783) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
A Vietnamese immigrant writes a series of poems reflecting her experiences in Vietnam during the war and her resettlement in Alabama.
Hard Times for Jake Smith - Aileen Kilgore Henderson, (978-1571316493) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-9, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 4
MaryJake assumes the identity of a boy after her parents throw her out of the house and she must walk very far to find a home with relatives.
Singing Hands - Delia Ray, (978-0618657629) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 960, ESL level: 3 - 4 - 5
Gussie, a hearing child of deaf parents, volunteers to help with some festivities with a school for the deaf in Alabama. Gussie's punishment to assist with festivities at a school for the deaf results from her poor judgement dealing with the residents.
The Thanksgiving Visitor - Truman Capote, (978-0679838982) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-7, Lexile: 1130, ESL level: 2 - 3
A preteen boy finds comfort with a much older female cousin during a Thanksgiving celebration after he gets bullied at school.
Fake ID - Walter Sorrells, (978-0142407622) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 4
Chass, a 16-year-old who has used many identities, seeks to find answers to her disturbing past in Alabama.
The Stones of Mourning Creek - Diane Les Becquets, (978-0761452386) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 3 - 4
Francie's interracial friendship with an African American girl during the 60's provokes controversy.
The Hanging Woods - Scott Loring Sanders, (618-881255) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3 - 4
Told from the point of view of a murderer, this brutal novel portrays a teen friendship gone out of control after one of the boys discovers a family secret.
Miss Spitfire: Reaching Helen Keller - Sarah Miller, (978-1442408517) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-11, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 4
This historical fiction novel describes the relationship between blind and deaf Helen Keller and the teacher who saved her, Annie Sullivan.
Looking for Alaska - John Green, (978-0142402511) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 930, ESL level: 5
Prep school student Miles generally enjoys his life at school, his friends, and their tricks, but a deadly car accident changes everything.
Alaska
L is for Last Frontier: An Alaska Alphabet - Carol Crane, (978-1585360208) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Alaska.
The Hungry Giant of the Tundra - Teri Sloat, (978-0882405360) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-5, Lexile: 580, ESL level: 2 - 3
A ravenous giant loses his right to eat dinner in this modern version of a classic Yupik folk story.
The Year of Miss Agnes - Kirkpatrick Hill, (978-0689851247) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3
When Miss Agnes arrives in a small Alaskan town to teach young Athapascans, the children find the experience interesting and beneficial.
Bright Star, Bright Dawn - Scott O'Dell, (978-0547053196) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-10, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young Inuit girl cannot rely on her injured father to help her when she enters the famed Iditarod sled race in Alaska.
Wild Man Island - Will Hobbs, (978-0380733101) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-10, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3 - 4
Andy is stranded on a wilderness island in Alaska; his survival attempts yield views of surprise animals, strange humans, and even remains of ancient humans.
Julie - Jean Craighead George, (978-0064405737) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3 - 4
Julie returns to her family's home village while trying to save her beloved wolves despite all the changes taking place in the environment.
Water Sky - Jean Craighead George, (978-0064402026) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young boy learns about the Inupiat culture and its reliance on the whaling industry while he visits Alaska.
The Great Serum Race: Blazing the Iditarod Trail - Debbie Miller, (978-0802777232) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-10, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 4
This book relates the exciting true story of the husky Togo who helped delivery diptheria antitoxin to a remote location in Alaska during an epidemic.
Dancing at the Odinochka - Kirkpatrick Hill, (978-1442413528) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 970, ESL level: 4
Of Russian descent, Erinia finds her life at an Alaskan trading post changes when the area becomes part of the United States.
The Call of the Wild - Jack London, (978-1613822081) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1120, ESL level: 4
Buck, a mixed breed part German Shepherd, must adapt to his new life in the Alaskan wilderness after being kidnapped in this classic adventure novel for children.
Right Behind You - Gail Giles, (978-0316166379) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 4
Kipe gets a chance at a new start in a new school in Indiana where he goes to live with his father and new stepmother, but his past still haunts him.
Arizona
G is for Grand Canyon: An Arizona Alphabet - Barbara Gowan, (978-1585360680) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Arizona.
Coyote School News - Joan Sandin, (080-506558X) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 2 - 3
Fourth grade students at the Coyote School in Arizona report on their activities in a newspaper they produce themselves.
Missing on Superstition Mountain - Elise Broach, (978-0805090475) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 620, ESL level: 3
Three brothers, new to Arizona, become fascinated with Superstition Mountain despite its rumored danger.
The Homework Machine - Dan Gutman, (978-0689876790) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3 - 4
Read about how a new computer program that does homework for students affects four different members of a fifth grade class.
The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden - Robert Avrech, (978-0975438220) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, ESL level: 3 - 4
Ariel is trying for his Bar Mitzvah in his new home in the Western United States when he encounters an Apache girl who is a warrior.
Stargirl - Jerry Spinelli, (978-0440416777) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-10, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 3 - 4
Non-conformist Stargirl has an effect on everything and everyone at her high school.
Crossing the Wire - Will Hobbs, (978-0060741402) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 3 - 4
Victor is desperate for work so he tries to cross into the U.S. from Mexico to find the means to support his family.
Everybody Sees the Ants - A.S. King, (978-0316129282) , Fiction
Interest level: 9-12, Lexile: 710, ESL level: 3 - 4
Lucky Linderman, haunted by memories of a grandfather MIA in Vietnam, gains a more mature perspective after he visits his aunt and uncle in Arizona.
Weedflower - Cynthia Kadohata, (978-1416975663) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3 - 4
Sumiko is determined to make the best of life despite her family's relocation to an internment camp on an Indian reservation in Arizona.
Arkansas
N is for Natural State: An Arkansas Alphabet - Michael Shoulders, (978-1585360673) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about Arkansas.
In Front of God and Everybody - KD McCrite, (978-1400317226) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, ESL level: 3
Arty new neighbors from San Francisco disturb April's sense of home, and April's grandmother finds a new "boyfriend."""
With a Name Like Love - Tess Hilmo, (978-0374384654) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-9, Lexile: 710, ESL level: 3 - 4
Olivene, the daughter of a clergy man, finds small town life in Arkansas to be a microcosm of the world with villains and the warm-hearted, mysteries and love all wrapped up together.
Fire from the Rock - Sharon Draper, (978-0525477204) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3 - 4
Sylvia represents her race in entering a previously white school in the 1950's in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The Legend of Bass Reeves - Gary Paulsen, (978-0553494297) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 950, ESL level: 4 - 5
This historical novel shows how Bass Reeves brought many outlaws to justice; his fame as an African American former slave living as a sheriff makes this a gripping account.
Where Things Come Back - John Corey Whaley, (978-1442413337) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, ESL level: 3 - 4
The quiet peace of his small-town, Arkansas life is interrupted when Cullen's cousin dies of an overdose, his love life crashes, and his brother disappears.
Summer of My German Soldier - Bette Greene, (978-0756967734) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
A naive pre-teen in Arkansas aids a German P.O.W. who has escaped his detention center.
The Painters of Lexieville - Sharon Darrow, (763-614378) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 880, ESL level: 4
Pert Lexie's drab life in rural Arkansas suddenly gets worse when her uncle comes on to her and her welfare mother's attempts to help Pert escape fire up after a discovery about the uncle.
California
G is for Golden: A California Alphabet - David Domeniconi, (978-1585360451) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Colorado.
The Trouble with Cats - Martha Freeman, (978-0823414796) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 300, ESL level: 2
Holly must adjust to a new stepfather, a small San Francisco apartment, and her stepfather's four cats who share her room.
Snowshoe Thompson - Nancy Smiler Levinson, (978-0064442060) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 330, ESL level: 2
Based on a true story, this book depicts Snowshoe Thompson's undying attempts to deliver the U.S. mail by ski, even when he has to make his own!
A Day's Work - Eve Bunting, (978-0395845189) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 350, ESL level: 2
Francisco is surprised he can learn something from his non-English speaking grandfather who even needs help to find a job in California.
Buster Changes His Luck - Marc Brown, (978-0316001298) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 2 - 3
Buster the rabbit's new friends show him what fun he can have celebrating Chinese New Year in San Francisco.
Frida Maria: A Story of the Old Southwest - Deborah Lattimore, (978-0152015152) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 620, ESL level: 2 - 3
Frida Maria spurns her mother's attempts to interest her in traditional pursuits, like sewing and cooking; instead she impetuously enters the Fiesta and wins!
The Bracelet - Yoshiko Uchida, (978-0698113909) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-5, Lexile: 710, ESL level: 2 - 3
Emi keeps memories of her friendship with a non-Japanese girl in her mind despite the loss of a gift bracelet she got before her family was forced into an internment camp during WWII.
Little Mama Forgets - Melanie Kroupa, (978-0374346133) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 710, ESL level: 4
Luciana enjoys her forgetful grandmother since the older women still remembers what is important for each of them.
By the Great Horn Spoon - Sid Fleischman, (978-0316286121) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3
Jack and his adult friend hide themselves on a vessel bound for California; they experience many adventures along their way to search for gold.
Quake!: Disaster in San Francisco - Gail Karwoski, (978-1561453108) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 770, ESL level: 3 - 4
This historical fiction novel describes the 1906 San Francisco earthquake from the point of view of a Jewish teen.
Earthquake at Dawn - Kristiana Gregory, (978-0152046811) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 840, ESL level: 4
Read a novelized version of photographer Edith Irvine's take on the 1906 San Francisco earthquake as told by her fellow traveler, Daisy.
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple - Karen Cushman, (978-0064406840) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 1030, ESL level: 3
California Morning, also known as Lucy, experiences loneliness and sadness when she moves with her family from the East Coast to a California mining town.
Parrot in the Oven: Mi Vida - Victor Martinez, (978-0064471862) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 1000, ESL level: 4
Manny's many problems involving growing up as a Chicano in a poor family are compounded by his father's alcoholism.
Colorado
The Twelve Days of Christmas in Colorado - Linda Ashman, (978-1402774638) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 2 - 3
Sophie views all the marvelous things about the state of Colorado, using the format of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
C is for Centennial: A Colorado Alphabet - Louise Doak Whitney, (978-1585360581) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Colorado.
The Good Dog - Avi, (978-0689838255) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 480, ESL level: 2 - 3
Told from the dog's perspective, this book shows the conflict between a Malmute pack leader who tries to keep the dogs focused on their tasks and the appeal of running with a wolf who hovers on the edges of the story.
Bear Dancer: The Story of a Ute Girl - Thelma Hatch Wyss, (978-1442421561) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, ESL level: 3
This fascinating fictionalized account tells the story of Ute chief Ouray's sister Elk Dress girl and the time she is both captured and returned by her tribe's enemies.
The Secret School - NA Avi, (978-0152046996) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 540, ESL level: 2 - 3
Ida must become her rural school's teacher at the age of 14 in order to complete her own education and provide schooling for the small community.
Whistler in the Dark - Kathleen Ernst, (978-1607544326) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 2 -3
When Emma's mother tries to make a new start by creating a newspaper in their adopted Colorado town, at first they receive rejection and scary threats from the community.
Hard Gold: The Colorado Gold Rush of 1859 - NA Avi, (142-3105192) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 3 - 4
Early Wittcomb follows his uncle to the fields of gold in Colorado hoping to help save his family's farm, but he encounters many challenges on the way.
Thanks to Nicki - Ann Howard Creel, (978-1593692902) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 3
While her mother is expecting twins, Nicki is training a guide dog for eventual placement away from her.
The White Gates - Bonnie Ramthun, (375-845542) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3 - 4
Preteen Tor does not accept the town's belief in a curse from a Ute woman to explain the many mishappenings in the town where his mother starts to work as a doctor.
Beardance - Will Hobbs, (978-0780746046) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 4
Cloyd runs across two motherless grizzly bear cubs while on a mission with an older man and hopes to save them as well as complete his spiritual quest.
Finding My Place - Traci Jones, (978-0374335731) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3 - 4
African American teen Tiphanie's loneliness is abated when she befriends another student who exists outside the normal social realm.
Connecticut
N is for Nutmeg: A Connecticut Alphabet - Elissa Grodin, (978-1585361243) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Connecticut.
The Magical Christmas Horse - Mary Higgins Clark, (978-1416994787) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 910, ESL level:
Johnny is overjoyed to get to spend Christmas at his grandfather's farm in Connecticut.
Because of Mr. Terupt - Rob Buyea, (978-0375858246) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 560, ESL level: 3
Although Mr Terupt is a new teacher, students find their lives improved when they have contact with him.
Junebug - Alice Mead, (978-0312561260) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 570, ESL level: 3
Although a young boy is happy to be close to his tenth birthday, his life in inner city housing adds stress to his excitement.
Through the Lock - Carol Otis Hurst, (978-0618030361) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 3
Two orphans find adventures along the way to finding their families in 19th century Connecticut.
26 Fairmount Avenue - Tomie dePaola, (978-0698118645) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 2 - 3
Famed author Tomie dePaola tells the story of his childhood in Connecticut.
An Acceptable Time - Madeleine L'Engle, (978-0312368586) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 710, ESL level: 3 - 4
Polly Of'Keefe has a lot of surprises during a normal trip to her grandparents when she time travels and meets soldiers, druids, and prehistoric creatures.
Burning Up - Caroline Cooney, (978-0440226871) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 3 - 4
Macey is surprised to find a lot of prejudice in her urban community after an acquaintance is murdered.
The Witch of Blackbird Pond - Elizabeth George Speare, (978-0547550299) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 850, ESL level: 3 - 4
Kit Tyler is troubled with her relatives in her new home in Connecticut after having grown up in Barbados, and she makes friends with a woman accused of being a witch.
Delaware
F is for First State: A Delaware Alphabet - Carol Crane, (978-1585361540) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about Delaware.
Bewildered for Three Days - Andrew Glass, (978-0823414468) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 3 - 4
This imaginative tale explains how Daniel Boone lost his famous coonskin hat.
Reaching Tidewater - Noreen Moore, (978-1572493582) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, ESL level: 3
Anna gets to accompany her family on an exciting trip down the Delaware Canal during the Civil War.
Water Rat - Marnie Laird, (978-1890817084) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 690, ESL level:
An orphan boy uses his considerable experience with the rougher things in life to befriend and protect a newly found family of friends from pirates.
Jasper Dash and the Flame Pits of Delaware - M.T. Anderson, (978-1442408388) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 3 - 4
With elements of science fiction, parody, and high adventure, this book takes readers on a quest to Delaware's forbidden mountain area to try and find the whereabouts of missing teachers while in pursuit of the Stare-Eyes squad.
Hill Hawk Hattie - Clara Gillow Clark, (978-0763625597) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 770, ESL level: 3 - 4
In a boy's disguise, Hattie accompanies her father on a wild logging trip down the Delaware after her mother dies.
The Heights, the Depths, and Everything in Between - Sally Nemeth, (978-0553494990) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
A very tall girl and a dwarf become friends during middle school, but their friendship arouses interests among their middle-school classmates.
The Light in the Forest - Conrad Richter, (978-0394814049) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 3 - 4
True Son is returned to the whites after having been raised by Native Americans after being kidnapped at age 4; his confusion and hostile feelings make it difficult for him to go back to life among whites.
Florida
La Noche Buena: A Christmas Story - Antonio Sacre, (978-0810989672) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, ESL level: 2 - 3
Nina enjoys learning about the Cuban side of her family's Christmas traditions as she spends a Florida Christmas away from her New England home.
S is for Sunshine: A Florida Alphabet - Carol Crane, (978-1585360123) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Florida.
The Great Pig Search - Eileen Christelow, (978-0618049103) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 260, ESL level: 2
Bert and Ethel find their missing pigs in strange places as they search for them in Florida.
A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever - Marla Frazee, (978-1430108481) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
Eamon's grandparents show Eamon and his friend James a great time during their summer holidays.
The Secret River - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, (978-1416911791) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 3
Calpurnia and her dog catch sufficient fish to feed neighbors and all the forest animals she wants in this classic children's tale.
How Many Days to America: A Thanksgiving Story - Eve Bunting, (978-0395547779) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 460, ESL level: 2 - 3
Caribbean boat people brave many dangers in an attempt to get to the U.S. where they can celebrate a meaningful Thanksgiving.
Everglades - Jean Craighead George, (978-0064461948) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 660, ESL level: 2 - 3
This book shows and tells readers about the evolution of the Florida Everglades and the effect "civilization"" has had on its unique ecosystem."
Because of Winn-Dixie - Kate DiCamillo, (978-0763607760) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 3
India finds lots of interesting things to pass her time with after her minister father moves them to a small town in Florida: a new dog (Winn-Dixie), a job in a pet store, and some unusual friends.
Strawberry Girl - Lois Lenski, (978-0064405850) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 3
This children's classic details the story of Birdie and her family working hard on their drought-ridden Florida farm.
The Yearling - Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, (978-0020449317) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3 - 4
After a young boy comes to love the fawn he has raised, he must decide how she will live when she matures.
Copper Sun - Sharon Draper, (978-0689821813) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 3 - 4
Two servant girls, one a slave, escape to a Spanish colony in Florida where they seek sanctuary.
Georgia
P is for Peach: A Georgia Alphabet - Carol Crane, (978-1585360468) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Georgia.
Pink and Say - Patricia Polacco, (978-0399226717) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 3
A fictionalized account of a true incident, this book recreates how African-American Pinkus Aylee met a Union soldier, how their friendship developed, and what happened when they were captured by the South.
The Ever-After Bird - Ann Rinaldi, (978-0547258546) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 630, ESL level: 3 - 4
As a young teen, Cecilia learns about more than birds when she tries to help her ornithologist uncle find a rare "Scarlet Ibis"; she sees the workings of the Underground Railroad firsthand."
Freedom Train - Evelyn Coleman, (978-0689847165) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 4
When his older brother board the Freedom Train to guard its vital documents, Clyde befriends an African American youth.
Shug - Jenny Han, (978-1416909439) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3 - 4
A small town Southern girl struggles through a first crush and developing self confidence despite her fractured home life.
Fame and Glory in Freedom, Georgia - Barbara O'Connor, (978-0374400187) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 2 - 3
Bird Weaver tries to boost her unpopularity by enlisting the help of a new student to help her win the school spelling bee.
The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester - Barbara O'Connor, (978-0374368500) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 770, ESL level: 3
Owen's wild bullfrog disappears, but Owen and his friends try to use a submarine that slipped off a locomotive to search for the frog Tooley.
My Name is Sally Little Song - Brenda Woods, (978-0399243127) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 3
A young slave girl leaves Georgia with her family in search of freedom.
47 - Walter Mosley, (978-0316016353) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 4
A young male slave without a name struggles to grow up until he meets Tall John from whom he learns about magic, escape, and freedom.
Numbering All the Bones - Ann Rinaldi, (978-0786813780) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-10, Lexile: 600, ESL level: 3 - 4
Eulinda, a young teen slave in 1864, has a difficult time with her newly declared freedom.
Peaches - Jodi Lynn Anderson, (978-0060733070) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 850, ESL level: 4 - 5
Three teen girls become friends when they spend their summer vacation picking peaches.
A Circle Unbroken - Sollace Hotze, (978-0395597026) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 920, ESL level: 4 - 5
Despite being kidnapped and abused by Dakota Indians, Rachel has a difficult readjustment to life with her own family when they find her and return her to home.
Hawaii
A is for Aloha: A Hawai'i Alphabet - U'ilani Goldsberry, (978-1585361465) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Hawaii.
Luka's Quilt - Georgia Guback, (978-0688121549) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-6, Lexile: 360, ESL level: 2
Luka's grandmother, Tutu, makes her a colorful flower lei after Luka expresses disappointment about the plainness of the traditional quilt her grandmother had proudly made her.
The Bottle Imp - Robert Louis Stevenson, (978-1409930594) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, ESL level: 3 - 4
In this classic version of a folktale, Keawe purchases a bottle with magical powers, but he has to sell the bottle for less or he will lose its benefits; he also has to get rid of it before he dies.
Kula and the Old Ukulele - Lance Wheeler, (978-1566478441) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-3, ESL level: 2 - 3
Kula practices very hard on the new (to him) old ukulele his grandfather gives him for a birthday gift so that he can do well in the local talent contest and please his grandfather.
Dumpling Soup - Jama Kim Rattigan, (978-0316730471) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 500, ESL level: 2 - 3
An Asian American lass living among Hawaii's multitudes of Asians of different backgrounds tries to learn to make dumplings for her contribution to her family's traditional holiday meal.
Lydia and the Island Kingdom: A Story Based on the Real Life of Princess Liliuokalani of Hawaii - Joan Holub, (978-0689871993) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, ESL level: 2 - 3
Princess Lydia Liliuokalani decides she must write down the traditional lore of her people as part of a Restoration Day celebration in 1846.
A Boy at War: A Novel of Pearl Harbor - Harry Mazer, (978-0689841606) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 530, ESL level: 2 - 3
Adam has some stressful days searching for his naval officer father after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Lord of the Deep - Graham Salisbury, (978-0440229117) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 540, ESL level: 2 - 3
Mikey learns a lot about fishing but even more about important life lessons like risk taking while he works for his stepfather on a charter in Hawaii.
House of the Red Fish - Graham Salisbury, (978-0440238386) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 3 - 4
Tomi and his friends try to rescue his dad's ravaged fishing boat just a year after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the increase in anti-Japanese sentiments on the island.
The Million Dollar Putt - Dan Gutman, (786-836415) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-8, Lexile: 620, ESL level: 3
Although Birdie is blind, the 13-year-old hopes to win the Angus Killick Memorial Golf Tournament in Hawaii.
Eyes of the Emperor - Graham Salisbury, (978-0440229568) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 630, ESL level: 3
Despite a Japanese-American's having volunteered to serve in the army during WWII, he experiences racism and separation from the rest of the troops; the final blow comes when he receives training to hunt other Japanese.
Healing Water: A Hawaiian Story - Joyce Moyer Hostetter, (978-1590785140) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 620, ESL level: 3 - 4
Pia, ravaged with leprosy, arrives at Molokai's leprosarium full of anger and independence, but the kindness of other patients and staff soften his resolve of revenge.
Strange Relations - Sonia Levitan, (978-0440239635) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-10, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 4 - 5
Marne is not used to the strict beliefs of her aunt's Chasidic family when she goes to spend her summer off with them in Hawaii.
To Hawaii, with Love - Michael Spradlin, (978-0060594107) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-10, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 4 - 5
Spy master Rachel and her friends from Blackthorn Academy find themselves in Hawaii in pursuit of an artifact that disappeared.
Breathless - Pam Withers, (978-1551434803) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 3 - 4
This high-interest (for teens) book with easy vocabulary portrays Beverly trying to lose weight and, as a result, having problems with keeping up with her scuba diving interest.
Idaho
P is for Potato: An Idaho Alphabet - Stan Steiner, (978-1585361557) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Idaho.
Baseball Saved Us - Ken Mochizuki, (978-1880000199) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-8, Lexile: 550, ESL level: 2
After a formerly imprisoned Japanese boy is released from the American internment camp where he has learned to play baseball, he finds the sports skills he learned while being held are helpful to his coping with the rest of his life and the prejudice he faces.
Mailing May - Michael Tunnell, (978-0064437240) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-6, Lexile: 770, ESL level: 2
A very young girl gets mailed to her destination in the West to see her grandmother since her family cannot afford to buy her a train ticket.
The Fences between Us - Kirby Larson, (978-0545224185) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, ESL level: 3 - 4
This young teen's "diary"" recounts her experiences during WWII after her brother leaves for the navy and her father takes her with him to a Japanese internment camp since he is the minister of a Japanese Baptist church."
Colder than Ice - David Patneaude, (978-0807581360) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 550, ESL level: 3
Josh finds moving to a new school does not stop the agony of being bullied because of his weight.
The Reinvention of Bessica Lefter - Kristen Tracy, (978-0385736886) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 570, ESL level: 3
Bessica's plan to reinvent herself in middle school slips by the wayside before she starts implementing it.
Charlie's Raven - Jean Craighead George, (978-0142405475) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 710, ESL level: 3 - 4
Charlie takes a baby raven from a nest, hoping to help cure his ailing grandfather with whom he shares a love of observing nature.
My Darlin' Clementine - Kristiana Gregory, (978-0823421985) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young teen girl copes with the roughness of frontier life in Idaho and an alcoholic parent by keeping herself focused on her goal of becoming a doctor.
The Girls of No Return - Erin Saldin, (978-0545310260) , Fiction
Interest level: 9-12, Lexile: 770, ESL level: 3 - 4
A teen girl chooses the wrong friends when she must attend a school in the Idaho wilderness.
Deadline - Chris Crutcher, (978-0060850890) , Fiction
Interest level: 9-12, Lexile: 880, ESL level: 4
Ben, diagnosed with leukemia, tries to find out what is important for him to pursue during his remaining year of life.
Lost It - Kristen Tracy, (978-1416934752) , Fiction
Interest level: 9-12, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 4
Tess' social life is interrupted when her family moves to a survivalist camp in Utah; she overcomes her fears of the natural world and sexuality despite her sometimes offbeat friends.
The Last Good Place of Lily Odilon - Sara Beitia, (978-0738720685) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 940, ESL level: 4
Albert tries to find his missing girlfriend Lily since he is the primary suspect in her disappearance.
Illinois
L is for Lincoln: An Illinois Alphabet - Kathy-jo Wargin, (978-1585362509) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Illinois.
America is Her Name - Luis Rodriguez, (978-1880684405) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, ESL level: 2 - 3
America, an Oaxacan Indian, rises above the difficulty of her life in a poor Chicago neighborhood when she writes poetry.
The Secret of the Painted House - Marion Dane Bauer, (978-0375840807) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 310, ESL level: 2 - 3
Nine-year-old Emily finds solace in a strange playhouse and its even stranger inhabitant after her family moves away from Chicago to a more rural area.
Children of the Fire - Harriette Gillem Robinet, (978-0689839689) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 3 - 4
This fictionalized account of the Great Chicago Fire shows how an African American girl handles the crisis with great creativity and determination.
Fair Weather - Richard Peck, (978-0439430340) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 3
At the invitation of an aunt, Rosie and her family go to Chicago to see a world's fair but also to experience their first time in the big city.
A Spy on the Home Front - Alison Hart, (978-1584859888) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
When her grandparents' neighbor is accused of espionage, Molly tries to exonerate him.
Extra Credit - Andrew Clements, (978-1416949312) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3
Abby begins to understand what life must be life in Afghanistan when she begins writing to several penpals there.
Deliver Us from Normal - Kate Klise, (978-0439523226) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3
Pre-teen Charles lives in Normal, Illinois, but finds his family very erratic, eccentric, and weird, not normal at all!
Journey of the Sparrows - Fran Leeper Buss, (978-0142302095) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 4
Maria and her siblings have a difficult time making a living as illegals in Chicago.
The House on Mango Street - Sandra Cisneros, (978-0679734772) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 5
With great lyricism, this book paints a canvas of a young girl's coming of age in Chicago's Spanish-speaking ghetto and its colorful inhabitants.
The Education of Robert Nifkin - Daniel Pinkwater, (978-0618552085) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 4 - 5
Robert Nifkin aces his college application essay when he reveals both his unusual experiences, his unique perspective on life, and his quirky satire in the writing.
Across Five Aprils - Irene Hunt, (978-0425182789) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1100, ESL level: 4 - 5
Jethro matures quickly as he steps up to do his father's farm work during the Civil War.
Indiana
H is for Hoosier: An Indiana Alphabet - Bruce Langton, (978-1585360413) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Indiana.
Buster on the Farm - Marc Brown, (978-0316001083) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 360, ESL level: 1 - 2
Buster loves to send postcards to his friends from Indiana where he is staying on a farm.
A Good Night for Freedom - Barbara Olenyik Morrow, (978-0823417094) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 460, ESL level: 2 - 3
When Hallie finds two fugitive slaves hiding in the community, she is faced with a difficult decision, whether to help or turn to the authorities.
The School at Crooked Creek - Laurie Lawlor, (978-0823418121) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 660, ESL level: 3
Beansie dreads his very first day to go to school, but he finds inner strength despite his lack of experience and his annoying older sister.
Throwing Stones - Kristi Collier, (978-0805076141) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 620, ESL level: 3
Andy's hopes to play basketball are dashed when he is injured, but he finds journalism to be just as rewarding.
My Brother Abe: Sally Lincoln's Story - Harry Mazer, (978-1416938941) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3 - 4
Abe Lincoln's sister Sally narrates this book about their education and their move to Indiana.
Running out of Time - Margaret Haddix, (978-0689812361) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3
What Jessie thought was her town in the midst of a diptheria epidemic in 1840 turns out to be a site of a different age (1996) being viewed by scientists.
Here Lies the Librarian - Richard Peck, (978-0142409084) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 3 - 4
Eleanor loves cars and doing what the boys do, but she is amazed to learn about the career of librarianship after some new librarians come to town.
The Beef Princess of Practical County - Michelle Houts, (978-0440422709) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 810, ESL level: 3
Pre-teen Libby becomes too close to the calves she enters the annual steer competition at the county fair.
Cover Up: Mystery at the Super Bowl - John Feinstein, (978-0375842474) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 3 - 4
Two teen reporters uncover the meaning of mysterious activities at the Super Bowl.
Teen Idol - Meg Cabot, (978-0060096182) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 4
Jenny pursues change in her high school after she meets a film star.
Learning the Game - Kevin Waltman, (978-0439676113) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 1050, ESL level: 4
Nate is torn between his allegiances with his high school friends and the innocence of his older brother when he is tempted to admit he and his buddies stole items from a fraternity house.
Iowa
H is for Hawkeye: An Iowa Alphabet - Patricia Pierce, (978-1585361144) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Iowa.
Tomas and the Library Lady - Pat Mora, (978-0375803499) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 440, ESL level: 1 - 2
Tomas, the young son of migrant workers, finds a new world opening up to him when he is encouraged to read by a local librarian.
Sliding into Home - Dori Hillestad Butler, (978-1561453412) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 580, ESL level: 3
Joelle has to start her own girls' baseball league after she discovers the new city she moves to has none.
Switcharound - Lois Lowry, (978-0395395363) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
Caroline and her brother J.P. are not happy to be sent to live during one summer with their father and his second family.
The Book of Story Beginnings - Kristin Kladstrup, (978-0763634193) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 3
Lucy finds the tools to solve a family mystery when she finds a strange book that pulls the reader into the story.
The Luck of the Buttons - Anne Ylvisaker, (978-0763650667) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3
A girl with an unusual name tries to add to the family's fortune and solve a mystery at the same time.
Mary Ingalls on Her Own - Elizabeth Cody Kimmel, (978-0060009052) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3
Mary Ingalls must learn to live independently after she becomes blind during a bad flu season, so she goes to the Iowa College for the Blind.
Squashed - Joan Bauer, (978-0142404263) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 930, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young teen matures as she tries to lose weight, grow an award-winning pumpkin, and establish a relationship with a young man.
Beetles Lightly Toasted - NA Corporate Author, (978-0153052248) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-5, Lexile: 950, ESL level: 3 - 4
Andy really gets into making food from uncommon items for his family after his creativity is awakened for an essay contest.
Orphan - John Weber, (978-1934813386) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 3 - 4
After Homer finds out he is adopted, he takes off for New York City to find his origins.
Stranded - J.T. Dutton, (613-70827) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 970, ESL level: 3 - 4
Kelly is unsure about whether to tell what she learns about an abandoned baby found in an Iowa cornfield and a mother who is not owning up to the birth.
Kansas
S is for Sunflower: A Kansas Alphabet - Devin Scillian, (978-1585360611) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Kansas.
Cabin in the Snow - Deborah Hopkinson, (978-0689843518) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 50, ESL level: 2 - 3
A young boy must take care of his family during a wicked Kansas blizzard in the absence of his father.
Wagon Wheels - Barbara Brenner, (978-1430108078) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 380, ESL level: 2
An African American family moves to Kansas to claim land through the Homestead Act.
Caleb's Story - Patricia MacLachlan, (978-0064405904) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 290, ESL level: 2
The Witting family discovers their grandfather on their farm, a man they had believed lost.
100 Cupboards - N.D. Wilson, (978-0375838828) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 2 - 3
Henry and his cousin Henrietta explore hidden doors and passageways in an attic in Henry's new home in Kansas.
Out of Patience - Brian Meehl, (978-0440420903) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 770, ESL level: 2 - 3
Jake thinks his small town in Kansas is the pits until he has interactions with a toilet plunger in this humorous novel.
Moon over Manifest - Clare Vanderpool, (978-0375858291) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
Abilene goes to live with her father's old friend; she hopes to make sense of some mysteries about her drifter father there.
Riddle of the Prairie Bride - Kathryn Reiss, (978-1607544203) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
When Ida Kate's father greets his mail-order bride, something tells Ida that this may not be the woman he selected.
The Van Gogh Caf? - Cynthia Rylant, (978-0152057503) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 810, ESL level: 3 - 4
A mysterious caf? in small town Kansas has everyone wondering about the weird things that happen there.
Kentucky
B is for Bluegrass: A Kentucky Alphabet - Mary Ann Riehle, (978-1585360567) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Kentucky.
My Mountain Song - Shutta Crum, (978-0618159703) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-3, ESL level: 2
Brenda views the family fights as material for the song she writes about her life in Kentucky.
Danger at Sand Cave - Candice Ranson, (978-1575054544) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-5, Lexile: 180, ESL level: 2
In this fictionalized account involving the death of a famous explorer due to a cave collapse, a young boy tries to find and rescue Floyd Collins, despite danger to himself.
Dream of Night - Heather Henson, (978-1416948995) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 470, ESL level: 3
An abused racehorse, an abused child, and a sympathetic caregiver all tell their stories in this book with multiple perspectives.
Dexter the Tough - Margaret Peterson Haddix, (978-1416911708) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-5, Lexile: 690, ESL level:
Dexter's aggressive behavior on his first day in a new school is sympathetically approached by an understanding teacher after he is sent to Kentucky to live while his father undergoes cancer treatment.
Trouble Don't Last - Shelley Pearsall, (978-0440418115) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-10, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 2 - 3
Two slaves of widely different ages and families try to escape together to Canada using the Underground Railroad to help them.
The Champ: The Story of Muhammad Ali - Tonya Bolden, (978-0375824012) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 3 - 4
This biography of Muhammad Ali covers his career as a champion boxer and his religious conversion.
Chasing Redbird - Sharon Creech, (978-0064406963) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-9, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 4
After her aunt dies, a young woman works off her grief by cleaning a hiking trail near her Kentucky home.
Faith, Hope, and Ivy June - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, (978-0385905886) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-10, Lexile: 900, ESL level: 3 - 4
Catherine changes places with Ivy June on a special school program; the girls find their lives have a host of similarities despite vast differences in their social and economic backgrounds.
Runaround - Helen Hemphill, (978-1590787779) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 3 - 4
Pre-teen Sassy feels she desperately needs a boyfriend, but she has no idea how to attract one or that the object of her quest is actually interested in her sister; this disturbing book contrasts rough Kentucky life and the view of young adulthood in Sassy's teen love magazines.
Tadpole - Ruth White, (978-0756949242) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3 - 4
Four young girls welcome their male cousin to a seemingly idyllic existence in rural Kentucky, but then their mother discovers his guardian abuses him.
Louisiana
P is for Pelican: A Louisiana Alphabet - Anita Prieto, (978-1585361373) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Louisiana.
Bill and Pete to the Rescue - Tomie dePaola, (978-0698118843) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 510, ESL level: 2 - 3
Bill must save his cousin and some endangered animals that have been taken to an exotic animals farm; his friend Pete helps him make the save.
Mr. Williams - Karen Barbour, (978-0805067736) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 2 - 3
An African Americans recounts his life in rural Louisiana when everyone worked together and life was simple.
Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood - Mike Artell, (978-0142500705) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 3 - 4
Readers will enjoy the Cajun culture version of the classic Red Riding Hood tale.
Feliiana Feydra LeRoux: A Cajun Tall Tale - Tynia Thomassie, (978-1589802865) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 3 - 4
Feliciana secretly accompanies her grandfather on a dangerous but exciting alligator hunt in the Louisiana bayous.
Rent Party Jazz - William Miller, (978-1600603440) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 3 - 4
Sonny learns how to organize a rent party, a community event common among African American families during the depression, to get together enough funds to keep their home.
Through My Eyes - Ruby Bridges, (978-0590189231) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 3-4
Ruby Bridges, in her own words, describes her experience as the first African American child to enter a white school in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Fiddle Fever - Sharon Arms Doucet, (978-0618776825) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 4 - 5
Felix decides to follow in his uncle's footsteps and become a fiddler player, even though he has to make his own instrument and defy his parents.
Sounder - William Armstrong, (978-0064400206) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 900, ESL level: 4
A young African American boy gets comfort and companionship from his faithful dog Sounder while his father is in jail in this children's classic.
Sounder - William Armstrong, (978-0030547072) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 900, ESL level: 4 - 5
An African American son feels shame when his father goes to jail for stealing food for the family, but he determines to learn to read and improve his lot; his dog Sounder is his steady companion during the Depression years.
Honey Bea - Kim Siegelson, (978-0982902707) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-11, Lexile: 940, ESL level: 4 - 5
A young slave girl grows up learning how to balance the family endowed magical powers and her life as a servant on a sugar plantation in Louisiana.
Maine
L is for Lobster: A Maine Alphabet - Cynthia Furlong Reynolds, (978-1585360246) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Maine.
One Morning in Maine - Robert McCloskey, (978-0140501742) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
A little girl discovers the world off island when she gets to ride to the grocery store on the mainland after finding her first loose tooth.
Fudge-A-Mania - Judy Blume, (978-0142408773) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 490, ESL level: 3
Pete's summer vacation in Maine with his family proves entertaining considering the presence of his younger humorous brother and his nemesis from school Sheila.
The White Wolf - Ron Roy, (978-0375824807) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 630, ESL level: 3
Why three wolf babies were kidnapped is the heart of this Maine mystery.
Birdie's Lighthouse - Deborah Hopkinson, (978-0689835292) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young girl's family moves to Turtle Island Maine where her father becomes a lighthouse keeper.
May - Kathryn Lasky, (978-0439783118) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 770, ESL level:
May is a mermaid but she must not let her acquaintances or other islanders find out about her secret identity.
The Sign of the Beaver - Elizabeth George Speare, (978-0547577111) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-9, Lexile: 770, ESL level: 3
A young boy survives in his family's makeshift house in the wilderness only because the local Indians instruct him in how to live like they do.
Sand Dollar Summer - Kimberly Jones, (978-0545081986) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3 - 4
Lise's island summer turns out to be less than idyllic because of complications with the community, the weather, and her mother's friends.
The Canning Season - Polly Horvath, (374-410429) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 870, ESL level:
When Ratchet goes to visit her strange aunts one summer, she hears about a lot of family history and strange characters.
Converting Kate - Beckie Weinheimer, (978-0670061525) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 4
Kate takes advantage of her move with her mother to Maine to break away from the family fundamentalist church and its restrictive beliefs.
Maryland
B is for Blue Crab: A Maryland Alphabet - Shirley Menendez, (978-1585361601) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Maryland.
Clara and the Bookwagon - Nancy Smiler Levinson, (978-0064441346) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 290, ESL level: 2
Clara's rural life improves when a horse-drawn traveling library comes to her small community.
Jake - Audrey Couloumbis, (978-0375856303) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, ESL level: 2 - 3
Jake's grandfather comes to take care of him after the boy's mother breaks her leg.
Shakespeare's Secret - Elise Broach, (978-0312371326) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-9, Lexile: 620, ESL level: 3
Hero's life improves, despite her classical name, when she gets involved in solving the mystery of a missing diamond rumored to be in her new house.
A Face First - Priscilla Cummings, (978-0142302477) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
Kelley's severe facial burns and the resulting medical treatments cause her to retreat from her school mates.
The Civil War Totally Made Up Diary of Amanda MacLeish - Claudia Mills, (978-0374376963) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3
Amanda writes her diary from the persona of a girl of her age who was living through the Civil War when she has to find distance from her personal problems.
The Trouble with Mark Hopper - Elissa Brent Weissman, (525-420673) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
Mark Hopper meets Mark Hopper, a similar-looking boy of the same age but with a different outlook when they get teamed up for study in middle school.
Promises to the Dead - Mary Downing Hahn, (978-0547258386) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 850, ESL level: 3
Jesse leaves the safety of his own home so that he can assist a young slave who is fleeing his imprisonment in the South during the years of the Civil War in the U.S.
12 Things to Do before You Crash and Burn - James Proimos, (978-1596435957) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 540, ESL level: 3
James Hercules goes through a check-list of 12 desired accomplishments as he visits his uncle in Baltimore after his famous but useless father dies.
Red Kayak - Priscilla Cummings, (978-0312371326) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
Brady and his best buddies suffer the ultimate friendship test when a child dies after Brady drills holes in the child's kayak; the moral dilemma of whether the friends should reveal the truth makes for an enticing read.
Dangerously Alice - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, (978-0689870958) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-10, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 4
Alice experiments with socially acceptable but dangerous behaviors during her junior year in high school when everything in her life seems turned upside down.
Massachusetts
M is for Mayflower: A Massachusetts Alphabet - Margot Theis Raven, (978-1585360727) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about Massachusetts.
Abigail's Drum - John Minahan, (978-0945912255) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3
The Bates sisters, living in a lighthouse in Massachusetts, help their father protect their lighthouse home when British troops invade.
Blue Heron - NA Avi, (978-0380720439) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 3
Maggie enjoys the wonders of nature at a Massachusetts beach, especially fascinated with a blue heron, while her family and its new baby face crises.
Torchlight - Carol Otis Hurst, (978-0618276011) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 640, ESL level: 3-4
Charlotte finds her town's attitudes toward Irish Americans puzzling after she makes friends with an immigrant girl from Ireland.
Olive's Ocean - Kevin Henkes, (978-0060535452) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3 - 4
Martha uses her summer at her grandmother's cottage by the ocean to come to terms with the death of a classmate and her dreams of having a boyfriend and becoming a writer.
I Walk in Dread - Lisa Rowe Fraustino, (978-0545311656) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 4 - 5
Pre-teen Deliverance expresses her doubts in her diary about a friend who is found guilty of witchcraft during the Salem, Massachusetts witch trials.
Someday - Jackie French Koller, (978-1440186752) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3 - 4
Although Celie's grandmother refuses to move so a reservoir can be built in the immediate vicinity, it is constructed and Celie must adjust to losing her home and some of her friends because of the forced migration.
The Rag and Bone Shop - Robert Cormier, (978-0440229711) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 4
When a 12-year-old boy is indited for the murder of his much younger friend, the police pressure him to confess.
Firehorse - Diane Lee Wilson, (978-1442403314) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 840, ESL level: 4
Rachel perseveres in her determination to become a veterinarian despite family opposition and the social problems of an arsonist and a horse epidemic.
Lyddie - Katherine Paterson, (978-0142402542) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 4
Lyddie looks at her new job in a textile mill in Lowell, Massachusetts as the way to independence and some sort of financial security after growing up poor on a farm.
How Ya Like Me Now - Brendan Halpin, (978-0374334956) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 1080, ESL level: 4 - 5
Eddie tries to adjust to life in a private school in Boston after his father dies and his mother is absent due to a drug problem.
Michigan
M is for Mitten: A Michigan Alphabet - Annie Appleford, (978-1886947733) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about Michigan.
The Log Cabin Christmas - Ellen Howard, (823-413810) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 360, ESL level: 2
Elviry's family's new home in the Michigan countryside will be lonely without their mother's presence, but they decide to make their best of it.
Jam and Jelly by Holly and Nellie - Gloria Whelan, (978-1585361090) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 490, ESL level: 2
Mama turns her talents to jelly making to eke out enough money for her daughter to get a winter coat.
When Lightening Comes in a Jar - Patricia Polacco, (978-0399231643) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 540, ESL level: 2 - 3
A young girl enjoys the family reunion at her grandmother's place.
Mrs. Mack - Patricia Polacco, (978-0698118874) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 2 - 3
A young girl is taken in by an older neighbor and learns to ride and love horses.
Kyle's Island - Sally Derby, (158-0893163) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, ESL level: 4
Kyle tries to take advantage of the fun at the lake despite his angry reaction to his parents' recent separation.
Memories of Summer - Ruth White, (978-0374349455) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
Lyric tries to adjust to her new life in Michigan and her sister's developing mental illness.
Mr. Chickee's Funny Money - Christopher Curtis, (978-0440229193) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 1010, ESL level: 4 - 5
Steven and his friends are faced with the mystery of a quadrillion-dollar bill.
Bucking the Sarge - Christopher Curtis, (978-0440413318) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 1000, ESL level: 4 - 5
Luther tries to keep his goal of college philosophy in mind as he struggles to assist his mother in her questionable business, the Happy Neighbor Group Home for Men.
Bud, Not Buddy - Christopher Curtis, (978-0553494105) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 950, ESL level: 4 - 5
Bud escapes from his foster home to try and find his famous father during the Great Depression.
Minnesota
V is for Viking: A Minnesota Alphabet - Kathy-jo Wargin, (978-1585361250) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about Minnesota.
Betsy-Tacy - Maud Hart Lovelace, (978-0064400961) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 2 - 3
Betsy and Tacy become best of friends after Tacy moves to Betsy's small-town Minnesota neighborhood.
Dear Papa - Anne Yivisaker, (978-0763634025) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3
A young daughter tries to keep her father's memory alive as she continues to write letters to him about their life in Minnesota, all the while also writing to other living family members.
A Bride for Anna's Papa - Isabel Marvin, (978-1571316509) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 3
Anna's father works in iron mines in Northern Minnesota, and Anna would like to find him a wife.
The Shrouding Woman - Loretta Ellsworth, (978-0805081855) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 3
Evie and her sister are uncomfortable with their aunt's job of preparing dead bodies; they must live with her since their mother has died.
Song of Sampo Lake - William Durbin, (978-0816675692) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 900, ESL level: 3 - 4
The son of Finnish immigrants, Matti finds himself in many roles; he works as an English teacher, a clerk, and with his family on their claim.
The Journal of Otto Peltonen: A Finnish Immigrant - William Durbin, (978-0439555005) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-12, Lexile: 1010, ESL level: 3 - 4
Otto finds life colorless after he arrives in Minnesota from Finland while helping his father work in an iron mine.
The Quilt - Gary Paulsen, (978-0440229360) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 1160, ESL level: 3
A small boy must go live with his Norwegian grandmother during WW II because his mother is working and his father is away fighting.
Alida's Song - Gary Paulsen, (978-0440414742) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 1460, ESL level: 4 - 5
Simply written but high in appeal, this book describes one lost boy's summer working on his grandmother's farm in Minnesota.
Mississippi
M is for Magnolia: A Mississippi Alphabet - Michael Shoulders, (978-1585361298) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book featuers all the things that are special about the state of Mississippi.
Glory Be - Augusta Scattergood, (978-0545331807) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 2 - 3
A small Mississippi town's government decides to close their local swimming pool rather than allow integration.
Crossing Bok Chitto: a Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom - Tim Tingle, (978-1933693200) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 4
A Choctaw girl helps a young male slave and his family get to freedom.
Yankee Girl - Mary Ann Rodman, (374-386617) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 550, ESL level: 3
Newly transplanted Alice is torn between her desire to be popular in her new Mississippi school and her inkling to befriend the one lonely African American girl in the class.
The Return of Gabriel - John Armistead, (978-0756934606) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-9, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3 - 4
A pre-teen boy faces conflicts when his small town is battling civil rights workers and the KKK, but his best friend is African American.
The Aurora County All-Stars - Deborah Wiles, (978-0152066260) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3
The local boys' Independence Day baseball game comes under a shadow when the pitcher discovers secrets about the town's history.
Each Little Bird that Sings - Deborah Wiles, (978-0152056575) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3
Although Comfort's family owns the local funeral home, she has a rough time when her uncle dies.
A Thousand Never Evers - Shana Burg, (978-0440422099) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-12, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3
Despite the increase of violence in a small Mississippi town due to the Civil Rights Movement, the African American citizens persevere with their goal of equal rights.
How I found the Strong - Margaret McMullan, (978-0553494921) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 3
Both Frank's life and his views on slavery change when he is left behind by soldier father and brother during the Civil War, and he gets to know the family slave a lot better.
Mississippi Trial 1955 - Chris Crowe, (978-0142501924) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 4
A teen Mississippi boy disagrees with his grandfather's assessment of the Emmett Till case in 1955.
When I Crossed No-Bob - Margaret McMullan, (978-0547237633) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 3 - 4
Addy is happy to get away from the horrible Mississippi town of No-Bob since her parents deserted her there, but she must use her wits to stay away when her father returns and wants to take her back.
Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry - Mildred Taylor, (978-0142401125) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 920, ESL level: 4
The African American children in a Mississippi family do not understand why whites exhibit prejudice against them just because they are black.
Missouri
S is for Show Me:A Missouri Alphabet - Judy Young, (978-1585360260) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Missouri.
Aunt Minnie McGranahan - Mary Skillings Prigger, (978-0618604883) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 380, ESL level: 2
Aunt Minnie surprises the people in her small Missouri town when she successfully takes over the raising of nine nieces and nephews.
A Girl Named Dan - Dandi Daley Mackall, (978-1585363513) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 2 - 3
Dandi tries to ignore society's prejudice against girls playing baseball, so she tries out to be a bat "boy"" for the KC Athletes baseball team."
The Haunted Cabin Mystery - Gertrude Chandler Warner, (978-0807531808) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 630, ESL level: 3 - 4
Children try to uncover the roots of mysterious events at a cabin in rural Missouri, riding a paddle boat down the Mississippi River to get there.
The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs - Betty Birney, (978-1416934899) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 2 - 3
Eben really wants to find more seven wonders of the world in his small Missouri town.
Caught in the Act - Joan Lowery Nixon, (978-0440226789) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
Michael's new foster home features a vengeful owner, a son who is a bully, and a possible murderer in this gripping mystery.
Little Town in the Ozarks - Roger Macbride, (978-0064405805) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 3 - 4
Part of the continuation of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, this one shows what happens to Rose Wilder's family when they are forced to move into town after a fire on their farm.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer - Mark Twain, (978-1402714603) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 930, ESL level: 4 - 5
Tom Sawyer entertains readers with his many adventures and misadventures in a small Missouri town and on a nearby island where he searches for pirate's treasure and witnesses a murder.
Montana
B is for Big Sky Country: A Montana Alphabet - Sneed Collard, (978-1585360987) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Montana.
When the Circus Came to Town - Laurence Yep, (006-029325X) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 530, ESL level: 2 - 3
A young girl gains confidence despite her smallpox scars when a traveling circus comes into her community and she makes some new friends.
Eye of the Great Bear - Bill Wallace, (978-0671025021) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 640, ESL level: 3
After pre-teen Bailey encounters a bear in the Montana wilds, his reputation as that of a scardey-cat changes to follow an Indian seer's prophecy.
Rescue Josh McGuire - Ben Mikaelsen, (978-1562825232) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
Josh causes an entire community to mount a search for him during a violent snowstorm in the mountains after he kidnaps an orphaned bear cub to save it from animal testing.
Blind Mountain - Jane Resh Thomas, (978-0618648726) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3 - 4
Sam is forced to lead a mountain expedition after his difficult father becomes temporarily unable to see.
Hattie Big Sky - Kirby Larson, (978-0385735957) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young teen travels to a homesteading claim to create her own home, but finds difficulties there because of the events of WWI.
When the Sargeant Came Marching Home - Don Lemna, (978-0823420834) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 840, ESL level: 4
The family of a ten-year-old boy is forced to struggle to survive an outdated farm after the father comes home from WWII.
The Last Exit to Normal - Michael Harmon, (375-840982) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 620, ESL level: 3 - 4
Ben's anger about having to move to Montana with his father and his gay lover is moderated when he decides to help the neighbor child who seems to be hiding something.
Cryer's Cross - Lisa McMann, (978-1416994824) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 640, ESL level: 3 - 4
Kendall has to look beyond her frequently disabling obsessive-compulsive disorder to try and solve the mystery of how two of her friends have disappeared and she seems to be receiving visits from ghosts.
Faithful - Janet Fox, (978-0142414132) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 3 - 4
Maggie tries to forget her mother's disappearance and possible death after she moves with her father to the Yellowstone area of Montana and meets an interesting young man.
Mountain Solo - Jeanette Ingold, (978-0152053581) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 810, ESL level: 3 - 4
A promising young musician retreats to her frontier home with her father instead of pursuing her promising career as a violinist.
Flash Point - Sneed Collard, (978-1561453856) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-10, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 4
Luther is unable to keep his environmentalist views quiet in a small conservative town after he starts working to rescue birds of prey.
Hitch - Jeanette Ingold, (978-0152056193) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3 - 4
Moss becomes interested in helping with the creation of a new camp in Minnesota sponsored by the historic Civilian Conservation Core in order to become different from his drunken father.
The Big Burn - Jeanette Ingold, (978-0152049249) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 3 - 4
Three teenagers become involved in fighting the historical Big Burn of 1910.
Nebraska
C is for Cornhusker: A Nebraska Alphabet - Rajean Luebs Shepherd, (978-1585361472) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Nebraska.
Elsie's Bird - Jane Yolan, (978-0399252921) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 3 - 4
Elsie finds the birds and other wonders in the Nebraska prairie where she moves after leaving Boston.
Dandelions - Eve Bunting, (978-0152024079) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 580, ESL level: 2
After Zoe and her family move to Nebraska, they find satisfaction in creating a new home in the uncharted territory.
The Huckabuck Family and How They Raised Popcorn in Nebraska and Quit and Came Back - Carl Sandburg, (374-335117) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 850, ESL level: 3
The Huckabucks lose all their popcorn in a fiery and corn-popping explosion in this picture book version of a classic Carl Sandburg story.
Anna's Blizzard - Alison Hart, (978-1561453498) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 570, ESL level: 3
Anna's common sense proves to be an asset when she helps her classmates survive the real blizzard of 1888.
Worth - A. LaFaye, (978-0439913423) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3 - 4
Nate's father has to hire an orphan boy to help him on the farm after Nate breaks his leg and is unable to work with his family.
Room One: A Mystery or Two - Andrew Clements, (978-0689866876) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 840, ESL level: 3 - 4
Ted is puzzled by the disappearance of a homeless family in his small Nebraska town where he is the only 6th grader.
Holding up the Earth - Dianne Gray, (978-0618007035) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 880, ESL level: 3
After Hope comes to Nebraska with a new foster mother, she is able to recreate the past on the farm through letters she reads by four girls writing between 1869 and 1960.
Nevada
S is for Silver: A Nevada Alphabet - Eleanor Coerr, (978-1585361175) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about Nevada.
Death Mountain - Sherry Shahan, (978-1561454280) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 4
Erin and a companion get lost in a Sierra Nevada blizzard and try to survive.
Dragon's Gate - Laurence Yep, (978-0064404891) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-10, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3 - 4
A Chinese teen finds himself working alongside grown men to try and build the cross country railroad.
The Case of the Deadly Desperados - Caroline Lawrence, (978-0399256332) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3
Pinky Pinkerton is left on his own to solve the mystery of his parents' murder and the protection of his valuable deed while hiding from threatening criminals.
Moon Shadow - Chris Platt, (978-1561455461) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 850, ESL level: 3 - 4
Callie falls in love with a young horse that had been orphaned.
Perfect - Ellen Hopkins, (978-1416983248) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 570, ESL level: 2 - 3
The voices of several Nevada teens describe their challenges and heartbreaks in wrenching verse.
Bad Kitty - Michele Jaffe, (978-0060781101) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3 - 4
Jasmine attempts to solve a mystery in Las Vegas with her California friends' assistance.
New Hampshire
G is for Granite: A New Hampshire Alphabet - Marie Harris, (978-1585360833) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of New Hampshire.
The Bear That Heard Crying - Natalie Kinsey-Warnock, (978-0140558548) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 2 - 3
In 1973, Sarah Whitecher, age 3, was protected by a bear in the woods after she got lost and was not rescued for four days; this book is a fictional version of her experience.
Lucy's Summer - Donald Hall, (156-7923488) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3 - 4
Lucy's 1910 summer includes lots of enjoyable activities including celebrating the 4th of July, helping her mother with canning, and picnicking with her family.
Dillon Dillon - Kate Banks, (978-0374417154) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 520, ESL level: 3
Dillon comes to appreciate the lake loons and finds out why he has a double name during a wonderful summer.
A Week in the Woods - Andrew Clements, (978-0689858024) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 3 - 4
Mark learns to come to terms with a challenging teacher and hones his survival skills when his class goes on a camping excursion.
Night Wings - Joseph Bruchac, (978-0061123184) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 4
Thirteen-year-old native American Paul is kidnapped and forced to face a archetypal monster known to the native Abenaki Indians in an effort to escape.
The Enormous Egg - Oliver Butterworth, (978-0316119207) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 900, ESL level: 3 - 4
After Nate's regular chicken lays an enormous egg out of which hatches a dinosaur, many other unbelievable events take place.
Stained - Jennifer Richard Jacobson, (978-0689867453) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 660, ESL level: 3 - 4
This book, for mature teens only, describes the interplay between friends with secrets and the sexual abuse of one by a trusted priest.
The Trouble with Jeremy Chance - George Harrar, (978-1571316691) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 4
Jeremy leaves his home in New Hampshire after his father beats him in order to greet his brother who is returning from WWI.
First Boy - Gary Schmidt, (978-0312371494) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 850, ESL level: 4
A fourteen-year old responsible for an entire dairy farm on his own, makes his political beliefs very public during a contested election year.
New Jersey
G is for Garden State: A New Jersey Alphabet - Eileen Cameron, (978-1585361526) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of New Jersey.
The Book of One Hundred Truths - Julie Schumacher, (978-0440420859) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 2 - 3
Theodora babysits for younger cousins while visiting her grandparents at the New Jersey shore; the things she learns from her experience make up her list.
War and Watermelon - Rich Wallace, (978-0670011520) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 630, ESL level: 3 - 4
Two brothers are at odds when one plays football and the other protests the Vietnam war despite his father's views of the war.
Back in Time with Thomas Edison - Dan Gutman, (978-0689841255) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 3 - 4
Qwerty time travels to see Thomas Edison and his electric bulb, but he cannot get home again without his sister's assistance.
Callie's Rules - Naomi Zucker, (978-1606841334) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, ESL level: 3
Pre-teen Callie tries to conform to the school rules, but she joins her family in a protest when the town changes the annual Halloween festivities.
Center Field - Robert Lipsyte, (978-0060557041) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 3 - 4
Mike's baseball dream gets off track when he suffers and injury and also senses things are not right at home or at school.
A Ride into Morning: The Story of Tempe Wick - Ann Rinaldi, (978-0152046835) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-9, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young woman's brave intervention during the Revolutionary War keeps a mutiny from happening.
Penny from Heaven - Jennifer Holm, (978-0375836893) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3 - 4
Penny learns more about her father's death during an important summer when she is in her pre-teens.
New Mexico
E is for Enchantment: A New Mexico Alphabet - Helen Foster James, (978-1585361533) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of New Mexico.
The Night of Las Posadas - Tomie dePaola, (978-0698119017) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 410, ESL level: 2
Plans for a jubilant Las Posadas celebration change when a snowstorm keeps the children planning to be Mary and Joseph from getting to Old Santa Fe in time.
The Gadget - Paul Zindel, (978-0440229513) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young boy views the goings on at Los Alamos while his father works on the development of the atomic bomb and the hope that it will end wars with a mixture of fear, curiosity, and innocence.
White Sands: Red Menace - Ellen Klages, (670-062359) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 4 - 5
After agreeably adapting to an adoptive family, Dewey's unstable mother appears on the scene to get her back.
The Last Snake Runner - Kimberley Little, (978-1422358382) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 3 - 4
A half American teen time travels to the age of the Spanish conquistadors and assists his ancestors in performing the rites of the dying Snake Clan.
Harvey Girl - Sheila Wood Foard, (978-0896725706) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-9, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young teen escapes her Missouri home and finds employment as a Harvey House waitress, a popular restaurant located along the workings of the new railroad in the American Southwest.
Josefina's Surprise - Valerie Tripp, (978-1562475192) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 4
Traditions of la Noche buena--Christmas Eve-- and Las Posadas help ease Josefina and her sisters' pain following the death of their mother.
Kokopellis' Flute - Will Hobbs, (978-1416902508) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 3 - 4
After finding a flute left behind by grave robbers in New Mexico, Tep finds himself transported to a fantasy world in the evenings, accompanied by his dog; his adventures give him a great and beautiful understanding of the history of the region and its legends.
Surprising Cecilia - Denise Gonzales Abraham, (978-0938317968) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-10, ESL level: 3 - 5
Cecilia is delighted with her opportunity to attend high school in a New Mexico city, but she finds her farming, Mexican-American background limits her at first.
The Staircase - Ann Rinaldi, (978-0152167882) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 4 - 5
Lizzy, a Methodist, feels among aliens when she ends up in a Catholic school in New Mexico after her father abandons her; Santa Fe and its wild west feeling add interest and adventure to this mystical tale.
Tiger Eyes - Judy Blume, (978-0385739894) , Fiction
Interest level: 9-12, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 4 - 5
After moving to Los Alamos, New Mexico, a young teen tries to recover from the shock of the shooting death of her father.
Muchacho - LouAnne Johnson, (978-0375859038) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 1250, ESL level: 4 - 5
Eddie Corazon changes his delinquent attitudes that help him rise above his drug-infested neighborhood when he meets a girl.
New York
E is for Empire: A New York Alphabet - Ann Burg, (978-1585361137) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of New Yor,.
The Man Who Walked Between the Towers - Mordicai Gerstein, (978-0761328681) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 480, ESL level: 3 - 4
This book is a beautiful recreation of Philippe Petit's walk between the now defunct trade towers in NY City; it also features his arrest and sentencing!
Abuela - Arthur Dorros, (978-0140562255) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 510, ESL level: 2 - 3
This translated book features a young girl whose imagination takes her up into the sky to view the scenes of New York City as she travels with her abuela, her grandmother, on a bus trip.
Tar Beach - Faith Ringgold, (978-0517885444) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3 - 4
This picture book, based on a quilt, tells the story of the girl on the quilt who dreams of flying and controlling the world below.
Dear Primo: A Letter to my Cousin - Duncan Tonatiuh, (978-0810938724) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 2
In this epistolary style novel for the very young, two cousins compare lives from different vantage points; one lives in a rural area in Mexico and the other in New York city.
The King Of Mulberry Street - Donna Napoli, (978-0553494167) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 560, ESL level: 2 - 3
Dom arrives in the U.S. hidden in a large ship from Italy and ends up homeless on New York streets at the age of nine.
If You Come Softly - Jacqueline Woodson, (978-0142415221) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 570, ESL level: 3
Ellie, white, and Jeremiah, African American meet at a prep school in New York City and fall in love, not expecting people to have such strong reactions at their union.
Safe at Home - Sharon Robinson, (978-0439671989) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 600, ESL level: 2 - 3
Elijah tries to cope with the death of his father and a move back to the city with his widowed mother.
The Planet of Junior Brown - Virginia Hamilton, (978-1416914105) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3
Buddy, a homeless 8th grader, tries to protect and support an obesely overweight friend who has musical talent.
My Side of the Mountain - Jean Craighead George, (978-0142401118) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 810, ESL level: 3
A young boy hollows out a home for himself in a tree in the Catskill Mountains.
The Amazing and Death Defying Diary of Eugene Dingman - Paul Zindel, (978-0553277685) , Fiction
Interest level: 9-12, Lexile: 970, ESL level: 4 - 5
Eugene's personal diary reveals his challenges and wistful romances as he spends a summer working in a mountain resort in the Adirondacks.
North Carolina
T is for Tar Heel: A North Carolina Alphabet - Carol Crane, (978-1585360826) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of North Carolina.
Rescue on the Outer Banks - Candice Ransom, (978-0876148150) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 450, ESL level: 2 - 3
Based on the true story of African American rescuers based in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, this exciting story tells the tale of how a young boy and his horse aid a rescue team.
Freedom on the Menu: The Greensboro Sit-Ins - Carole Boston Weatherford, (978-0142408940) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-8, Lexile: 660, ESL level: 3
A young African American girl watches the famous Greensboro, North Carolina sit-in with great interest.
Blackbeard's Last Fight - Eric Kimmel, (978-0374307806) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 2 - 3
When the Royal Navy illegally attacks infamous pirate Blackbeard's ship, a fictional cabin boy assists and observes the outlaw's execution.
How to Steal a Dog - Barbara O'Connor, (978-0312561123) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3
Georgina's family is living in a car after their father deserts them; she develops some unsavory schemes to make money to help the family.
Jack Adrift: Fourth Grade without a Clue - Jack Gantos, (978-0374437183) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 3
Jack moves with his Navy father to North Carolina where Jack encounters many puzzling situations.
The Legend of Buddy Bush - Shelia Moses, (978-1416907169) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3
Twelve-year-old Pattie May finds her plans to escape from North Carolina to Harlem in a snafu when her uncle is arrested and her grandfather finds he has a brain tumor.
Blue - Joyce Moyer Hostetter, (978-1590788356) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 3 - 4
A teen girl must assume the role of head of the family while her father is at war, her family suffers a tragedy, and the nation is facing a polio epidemic.
Storm Warriors - Elisa Carbone, (978-0440418795) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 4
Nathan is attracted to the service of the African American crew at the shoreline lifesaving station, despite getting no encouragement from his family.
Listen! - Stephanie Tolan, (978-0060579357) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 4
Carley's newly found dog helps ease her recovery from an accident and her mother's death.
Gentle's Holler - Kerry Madden, (670-059986) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-12, Lexile: 950, ESL level: 4
Although Livy would love to use her songwriting and musical talents to see the world and get away from the poverty her family suffers, she recognizes the need to help the family first.
Fallout - Trudy Krisher, (978-0823420353) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 4 - 5
A young teen who moves to North Carolina during the nuclear war-crazed 50's finds new friends and helps her pals to see things in a new way.
Dovey Coe - Frances O'Roark Dowell, (978-0689846670) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 980, ESL level: 4
Dovey's character becomes even stronger and her empathy increases toward her deaf brother despite her being accused of murder.
North Dakota
P is for Peace Garden: A North Dakota Alphabet - Roxane Salonen, (978-1585361427) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of North Dakota.
River Friendly, River Wild - Jane Kurtz, (978-1416934875) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-5, Lexile: 400, ESL level: 3 - 4
One family receives great support from their community both before and after a flood forces them from their home.
Bad River Boys: A Meeing of the Lakota Sioux with Lewis and Clark - Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, (978-0823418565) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3 - 4
Lewis and Clark meet up with Dakota Indians during their famous explorations.
Jake's Orphan - Peggy Brooke, (978-0743427036) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-10, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3
Tree gets a chance to live on the farm where he is working after school after he loses his parents, but there is no room for his brother so Tree scouts around for other possibilities.
Wild Life - Cynthia DeFelice, (978-0374380014) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 4
Eric sets off on his own with a newly found dog, leaving behind his grandparents' home in N. Dakota where he is staying while his parents are in the military.
Betrayed! - Patricia Calvert, (978-0689866937) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 950, ESL level: 4
Tyler and his African-American companion take a Mississippi boat ride where they meet characters of questionable motives, including a corrupt captain and a Sioux indian chief.
Blizzard's Wake - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, (978-0689852213) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 4
A young girl rescues her brother and father during a great blizzard in N. Dakota, but she also assists the man whose car killed her mother in a drunk driving accident.
Ohio
B is for Buckeye: An Ohio Alphabet - Bruce Langton, (978-1585360048) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Ohio.
Paperboy - Mary Kay Kroeger, (978-0618111428) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 510, ESL level: 2 - 3
Willie, a young newspaper boy, uses the famed Dempsey-Tunney boxing match as an opportunity to sell more papers.
Time Pieces - Virginia Hamilton, (590-288814) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 400, ESL level: 3
Valena's small town life in rural Ohio includes many idyllic experiences while growing up including enjoying the wonders of nature, revelling in life with her extended family and friends, and viewing a traveling circus.
North by Night: A Story of the Underground Railroad - Katherine Ayres, (978-0440227472) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3 - 4
This journal, written by a teen girl, describes her life as a part of the Underground Railroad in pre-emancipation Ohio.
Double Dutch - Sharon Draper, (978-0689842313) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3 - 4
Three junior high school friends face many challenges when they decide to enter the Double Dutch rope jumping championship contest in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Absolutely Normal Chaos - Sharon Creech, (978-0064406321) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 900, ESL level: 3 - 4
Mary Lou has a big summer when she helps a cousin get a job, finds romance, and helps look for her uncle.
Crooked River - Shelley Pearsall, (978-0440421016) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 4
Rebecca learns a lot about prejudice and justice when she finds a Native American chained in an upstairs bedroom in their new settlement house; their father is holding him for an upcoming murder trial.
Crooked River - Shelley Pearsall, (375-823891) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 4
Rebecca's shock at a Native American possibly being found guilty for a crime he did not commit adds to her knowledge about prejudice and justice.
Double Dutch - Sharon Draper, (978-0689842313) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3 - 4
Three middle school girls eagerly look forward to a rope jumping contest and try to forget about their family and personal problems.
Heaven - Angela Johnson, (978-1442403420) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 4
Marley's surprise that she is adopted causes ripples in her otherwise idyllic life in small town Ohio.
Weasel - Cynthia DeFelice, (978-0380713585) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 4
Nathan's encounter with a murderer leads him to understand more about good, evil, and revenge in the early 1800's in Ohio.
Oklahoma
S is for Sooner: An Oklahoma Alphabet - Devin Scillian, (978-1585360628) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Oklahoma.
Coyote Autumn - Bill Wallace, (978-0743428361) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 600, ESL level: 2 - 3
Brad's new life living in the country finds him the happy owner of an orphaned coyote.
The Flimflam Man - Darleen Bailey Beard, (978-0374423452) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-6, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 2 - 3
When a swindler comes to a small Oklahoma town, he fools a lot of the town people, but two young girls learn a valuable lesson from him.
Franny Parker - Hannah Roberts McKinnon, (978-0374324698) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3 - 4
Franny Parker keeps busy nursing wild animals back to health and makes friends with the neighbors despite a difficult home situation.
Tulsa Burning - Anna Myers, (802-776965) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-10, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3
A teen boy helps his African American friend during race riots in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The Dog Who Thought He Was Santa - Bill Wallace, (978-1416948162) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 2 - 3
Alternating between the human and the canine point of view, this book shows how a special pet bloodhound tries to save Christmas for mining families in a small Oklahoma mining town.
Confessions from the Principal's Chair - Anna Myers, (978-0802795601) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3 - 4
How can fourteen-year-old Robin be believed to be the principal in her new school in Oklahoma where she moves after participating in bullying?
Paper Trail - Barbara Snow Gilbert, (978-1932425543) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, ESL level: 3
A teen finds himself remembering his life growing up under the auspices of an Oklahoma militia group as he tries to hide from them.
Taming the Star Runner - S.E. Hinton, (978-0440204794) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3 - 4
Life improves in Travis' new home, living with his uncle, after he starts working with a horse trainer and discovers a new interest.
Summer of the Monkeys - Wilson Rawls, (978-0440415800) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 810, ESL level: 3 - 4
A teen boy has a wonderful summer helping find monkeys which escaped from a circus while traveling around Oklahoma.
Semiprecious - D. Anne Love, (978-0689873898) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 3 - 4
Two sisters learn to make a new home with their aunt in Oklahoma after they face several disasters involving their parents.
Oregon
B is for Beaver: An Oregon Alphabet - Roland Smith, (978-1585360710) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Oregon.
Nora and the Texas Terror - Judy Cox, (978-0823422838) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, ESL level: 2 - 3
Nora has a difficult time with her loud cousin Ellie, whose family has had to come and live with hers after the parents lose their jobs.
The Barn - Avi, (978-0380725625) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 3 - 4
A sick man's young children try to build the barn he has planned after he succumbs to a stroke.
A Piece of the Sky - David Patneaude, (978-0807565360) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3 - 4
Russell, Phoebe, and Isaac find adventure while searching for the meteorite of a legend, trying to preserve its sanctity, in a small Oregon town.
Operation Clean Sweep - Darleen Bailey Beard, (978-0374380342) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 3
Small town Oregon women use their newly achieved voting rights to replace elected officials in town with women.
Escaping the Giant Wave - Peg Kehret, (978-0689852732) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3 - 4
Kyle decides to save an acquaintance who has bullied him in the past along with his sister when they face a post-earthquake tsunami.
Emily's Runaway Imagination - Beverly Cleary, (978-0380709236) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 3
Emily, along with her mother, try to improve life in a small Oregon town by founding a library there.
Bat 6 - Virginia Euwer Wolff, (978-0590898003) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 930, ESL level: 4
Two teams of 6th grade female ball players experience prejudice when they play softball against each other after the second world war in the Pacific Northwest.
Rachel's Journal: The Story of a Pioneer Girl - Marissa Moss, (978-0152021689) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-5, Lexile: 930, ESL level: 4
In a charming, illustrated journal, a young girl keeps a fascinating record of her family's travels on the Oregon Trail.
The Devil in Ol' Rosie - Louise Moeri, (978-1442402027) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 1040, ESL level: 4
Wart must face immense dangers while trying to recapture escaped horses in early 1900's Oregon.
Pennsylvania
K is for Keystone: A Pennsylvania Alphabet - Kristen Kane, (978-1585361045) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about Pennsylvania.
The Hard Times Jar - Ethel Footman Smothers, (978-0374328528) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 520, ESL level: 2 - 3
Emma is delighted to find a school library full of books when she first goes to school.
Chase - Jessie Haas, (978-0061128509) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 3
Phin tries to outwit a murderer and a mysterious man, both of whom are chasing him, after he witnesses a murder in the coal-mining area of Pennsylvania just after the Civil War.
The Year My Parents Ruined My Life - Martha Freeman, (978-0823413249) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3
Kate's forced move to Pennsylvania results in major upheavals in her school life and her adaptation to its harsh climate.
Macaroni Boy - Katherine Ayres, (978-0440418849) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3
Mike's curiosity about the death of the building rats and his grandfather's illness leads to a helpful discovery.
Dead End in Norvelt - Jack Gantos, (978-0374379933) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 920, ESL level: 3 - 4
Based on the author's life, this book portrays a spirited young man who learns most unusual things during a summer of penance; be ready for humor and grossness when you read this!
Woods Runner - Gary Paulsen, (978-0375859083) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, ESL level: 3
Thirteen-year old Samuel has to save his parents from their capturers, British soldiers and Indians, after the enemies have destroyed the town where his family has their homestead.
An American Plague - Jim Murphy, (978-0395776087) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 1130, ESL level: 4
This fascinating account of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia in 1793 paints a bleak picture of the city during that challenging time as well as providing a compelling backdrop of information about the country in the 18th century.
Rhode Island
R is for Rhode Island Red: A Rhode Island Alphabet - Mark Allio, (978-1585361496) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Rhode Island.
Whisper in the Dark - Joseph Bruchac, (605-80879) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 3
A teen running champion relives a Narrangansett legend after she makes a remarkable recovery after her parents are killed in a car accident and continues to run well.
Tangled Threads: A Hmong Girl's Story - Pegi Deitz Shea, (978-0618247486) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 630, ESL level: 3
A young Hmong teen travels from Thailand with her traditional grandmother to Rhode Island to start a new life, but she finds the American customs she wants to adopt conflict with the values of her family.
Born to Fly - Michael Ferrari, (385-737157) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-7, Lexile: 670, ESL level: 2 - 3
Bird's dreams of becoming a pilot like her father are turned upside down by WWII and the prejudice the villagers feel about two Japanese citizens.
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle - NA Avi, (978-0380728855) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-9, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 3
A young woman with a taste for adventure discovers dangerous information about a murdering captain as she travels alone across the seas.
Rules to Rock By - Josh Farrar, (080-272079X) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3
Annabella tries to adjust to her new middle school by starting a rock band, but bullying by other band members frustrates her attempts to fit in.
Spotting for Nellie - Pamela Lowell, (978-0761455837) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 3
Claire's pressures to do well in gymnastics have increased since her sister, another gymnastic star, was injured in a car accident and is recovering from brain damage.
Black Duck - Janet Taylor Lisle, (399-239634) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3
The families of two good friends get involved in anti-liquor smuggling in several violent confrontations.
South Carolina
P is for Palmetto: A South Carolina Alphabet - Carol Crane, (978-1585360475) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of South Carolina.
Carolina's Story: Sea Turtles Get Sick Too - Donna Rathmell German, (978-1934359006) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-5, Lexile: 700, ESL level: 3
This photographic-style picture book follows the experience of Carolina the turtle during her stay at an animal hospital and her subsequent re-release.
The Coastwatcher - Elise Weston, (978-1561454846) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, ESL level: 3
Hugh and his cousin Tom find evidence of a German sabotage plot while the family is summering in South Carolina to get away from polio danger.
Darby - Jonathon Scott Fuqua, (978-0763622909) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3
Darby, an idealistic nine-year-old tries to trumpet racial equality in her proposed article sent to a local newspaper, but the town's racism creates a backlash. Darby's story on civil rights written for the local newspaper causes her family to be in danger after she reveals the truth about a racially-inspired murder.
Miles' Song - Alice McGill, (395-979382) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-9, Lexile: 880, ESL level: 4
Although Miles, a Southern slave, acts submissive, he learns to read while being disciplined by his master.
Miles' Song - Alice McGill, (978-0395979389) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-9, Lexile: 880, ESL level: 3 - 4
Miles endures his time of punishment and learns to read despite the edicts against educating slaves.
Beautiful Creatures - Kami Garcia, (978-0316077033) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, ESL level: 4
Ethan's normally sedentary life changes when he meets Lena, a Caster(capable of casting spells), and they discover they can read each other's thoughts; they travel back in time to an older South Carolina and find how their families were intimately connected.
South Dakota
M is for Mount Rushmore: A South Dakota Alphabet - William Anderson, (978-1585361410) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of South Dakota.
Buster Hits the Trail - Marc Brown, (978-0316001212) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 660, ESL level: 2
Buster's postcards home include ones from Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument in S. Dakota.
Prairie Winter - Bonnie Geisert, (978-0618685882) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 2 - 3
After a blizzard keeps Rachel and her sisters from getting from their farm to school in town, they go to live near another village's school.
Black-Eyed Susan - Jennifer Armstrong, (978-0679885566) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 920, ESL level: 3 - 4
Although Susie loves their new home on the South Dakota prairie, her mother is homesick for their other home in Ohio.
The First Four Years - Laura Ingalls Wilder, (978-0060581886) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-9, Lexile: 1030, ESL level: 3 - 4
Laura and Almanzo settle in S. Dakota, but they have a rough time trying to establish a working farm.
Tennessee
V is for Volunteer: A Tennessee Alphabet - Michael Shoulders, (978-1585360338) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Tennessee.
Abby Takes a Stand - Patricia McKissack, (978-0142406878) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 580, ESL level: 3
A grandmother enjoys sharing her 60's experiences with her grandchildrn, tell of restaurant sit-ins and other types of civil rights protests.
John Phillip Duck - Patricia Polacco, (978-0399242625) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-12, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3 - 4
An African American boy helps his pet duck achieve fame after the duck's tricks land him a job at the Peabody Hotel.
Circle of Fire - Evelyn Coleman, (978-1607541929) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3
The Ku Klux Klan's plans to bomb a Tennessee school are thwarted when Mendy is concerned about Eleanor Roosevelt's visit there.
Bone by Bone by Bone - Tony Johnston, (978-1596431133) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
David's best friend is Malcolm, an African American; David's white and extremely prejudiced father will not allow him to spend time with a child from another race.
A Heart Divided - Cherie Bennett, (978-0440228400) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3 - 4
After moving from New Jersey to Tennessee, Kate tries to have the school's symbol, a Confederate flag changed.
Something Rotten - Alan Gratz, (978-0142412978) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3 - 4
In this reworked and updated version of Shakespeare's Hamlet, Horatio tries to uncover the details surrounding a friend's father.
Somebody Everybody Listens To - Suzanne Supplee, (525-422420) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3
Country singer Retta perseveres in trying to achieve her dream of becoming a singing star after she goes to Nashville post-high school.
Texas
L is for Lonestar: A Texas Alphabet - Carol Crane, (978-1585360192) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Texas.
The Armadillo from Amarillo - Lynn Cherry, (978-0152019556) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 2
The Texan armadillo's wanderings lead him to an understanding of his earthly location after he meets a wise eagle.
The Legend of the Bluebonnet - Tomie dePaola, (978-0698113596) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-4, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 2 - 3
This book is a retelling of an oral legend about how bluebonnets came to be the Texas state flower.
Delfino's Journey - Jo Harper, (978-0896724372) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, ESL level: 3 - 5
Delfino and his cousin cross the border into Texas to work, but after getting caught in a slave camp, find they must escape again.
Pedrito's World - Arturo Martinez, (978-0896726000) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, ESL level: 3 - 4
Pedrito has only known life in his small village until he starts school and has to start learning English.
Messenger on the Battlefield - Melinda Rice, (978-1556227882) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 3
When Texas declares war against Mexico, a Mexican American family has a choice of allegiance: should they support their country of heritage or their new land?
The Case of the Measled Cowboy - John Erickson, (978-0780793521) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3 - 4
Hank the cowdog takes care of his measled master and the ranch when he also becomes ill and a blizzard stops normal life at their Texas ranch.
The Tequila Worm - Viola Canales, (978-0375840890) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3 - 4
Sofia wins a scholarship to an Episcopal boarding school; she then realizes how important to her home is.
Old Yeller - Fred Gipson, (978-0060935474) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 3 - 5
This classic tells the heart-wrenching tale of a boy and his dog on the Texas plains.
Tantalize - Cynthia Leitich Smith, (978-0763640590) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 4 - 5
Quincie's love interest may turn out to be behind a series of Texas murders and a werewolf as well.
A Good Long Way - Rene Saldana, (978-1558856073) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 4 - 5
Mexican American high schoolers cope with violent family and social situations in this coming-of-age novel for teens.
The Crossing - Gary Paulsen, (978-0439786614) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1150, ESL level: 4 - 5
Manny's mentally disturbed friend, an American Vietnam vet, helps him escape across the border into Texas in this gritty tale.
Utah
A is for Arches: A Utah Alphabet - Becky Hall, (978-1585360963) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Utah.
The Wheat Doll - Alison Randall, (978-1561454563) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 2 - 3
When spring comes, Mary Ann is happier and finds that a big surprise helps replace her lost stuffed doll.
The Chihuahua Chase - A.E. Cannon, (978-0374312596) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-5, Lexile: 600, ESL level: 3
Teddy and Addie May set out to solve the mystery of the disappearance of Teddy's chihuahua, Phantom.
Sweethearts - Sara Zarr, (316-014567) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 4
Jennifer experiences emotional upheaval when a childhood friend returns to find Jennifer now slim and popular.
The Great Brain is Back - John Fitzgerald, (978-0803713468) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3
Tom is still interested in money-making schemes despite his crush on a girl in his class.
A Place Where Sunflowers Grow - Amy Lee-Tai, (978-0892392155) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3 - 4
Mari finds that growing flowers and participating in art projects helps her life improve after her family is forced to move to a relocation center for Japanese Americans during WWII.
Journey Home - Yoshiko Uchida, (978-0689716416) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-10, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 3 - 4
A Japanese-American family with a budding adolescent return home to attempt to get back their formerly peaceful life, but they find it difficult because of anti-Japanese prejudice after the war.
Journey to Topaz: A Story Of The Japanese-American Evacuation - Yoshiko Uchida, (978-1890771911) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 970, ESL level: 4
An eleven-year old Japanese American girl has to go to a camp for aliens in Utah during World War II.
Samirah's Ride: The Story of an Arabian Filly - Annie Wedekind, (978-0312384258) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-10, Lexile: 990, ESL level: 4 - 5
Jasper wants to save her favorite filly from being sold, but her actions put them both in peril.
I am Nuchu - Brenda Stanley, (978-1934813478) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 4 - 5
Cal has to move to Utah after his parents divorce, where the students are Ute Indians, and his popularity as a basketball star is unknown.
The Maze - Will Hobbs, (978-0380729135) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 4 - 5
After a young teen escapes from a juvenile detention center, he finds himself working with a biologist trying to reintroduce condors into their natural environment.
Sisters in Sanity - Gayle Forman, (608-87494) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 4
Sixteen-year-old Brit is shocked to find herself in a mental health facility for troubled teens after her family lures her there with deceit; after a period of shock, she begins to work hard and befriend the other clients in order to plan her escape.
Keep Sweet - Michele Greene, (978-1416986812) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 930, ESL level: 4 - 5
Alva can accept the rules of living in a fundamentalist compound under a father who has multiple wives until she both finds her own boyfriend and experiences the sect's practice of arranged marriages
Edges - Lena Roy, (978-0374350529) , Fiction
Interest level: 9-12, Lexile: 620, ESL level: 4 - 5
Friends Luke and Ava relocate to Utah after experiencing a set of deeply traumatic events including death, alcoholism, and mental health issues.
Vermont
M is for Maple Syrup: A Vermont Alphabet - Cynthia Furlong Reynolds, (978-1585360307) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Vermont.
How Tia Lola Came to Stay - Julia Alvarez, (978-0440418702) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, ESL level: 3
When Miguel's aunt comes to Vermont from the Dominican Republic, he is at once embarrassed, enthralled, and proud of his larger-than-life aunt.
Witness - Karen Hesse, (978-0439272001) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-12, ESL level: 3 - 4
This series of poems aptly describes the fears and prejudices of multiple citizens of a small Vermont town, including those of black Americans and Jewish people.
Where the Great Hawk Flies - Liza Ketchum, (618-400850) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 550, ESL level: 2 - 3
Two Revolutionary War families learn how to help each other after the war despite their racial and social differences.
Understood Betsy - Dorothy Canfield Fisher, (978-1887840132) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 950, ESL level: 4
While living with relatives in the country in Vermont, a quiet girl blossoms.
The Sweetness of Salt - Cecilia Galante, (159-9905124) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 630, ESL level: 3 - 4
Julia's visit to her older sister in Vermont reveals hidden family secrets and helps her to define herself.
A Day No Pigs Would Die - Robert Newton Peck, (978-0679853060) , Fiction
Interest level: 8-12, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young Vermont farm lad learns a hard lesson when he takes a pig as a pet, but his father butchers pigs on the farm to make a living.
Reality Check - Peter Abrahams, (978-0061227684) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3 - 4
Cody's eventful year includes a sports injury, a possible kidnapping, and a cross-county jaunt to find his ex-girlfriend.
Counting on Grace - Elizabeth Winthrop, (978-0553487831) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-9, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3 - 4
A preteen girl, working in a fabric mill in Vermont, brings her terrible working conditions to light when a reporter picks up on a letter the child had written to the Child Labor Board.
Virginia
O is for Old Dominion: A Virginia Alphabet - Pamela Duncan Edwards, (978-1585361618) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Virginia.
Miz Berlin Walks - Jane Yolen, (978-0698118454) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 910, ESL level: 3-4
Mary Louise and her elderly neighbor have good times exchanging stories as they take walks together around the neighborhood.
Lady Margaret's Ghost - Elizabeth McDavid Jones, (978-1593694746) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, ESL level: 3
Felicity must take care of her household when her mother is away from their home in Colonial Williamsburg.
Park's Quest - Katherine Paterson, (978-0440840671) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 710, ESL level: 3
Park discovers more about his dead father's history after he meets a Vietnamese American girl near his grandfather's farm; is she his sister?
With the Might of Angels - Andrea Davis Pinkney, (978-0545297059) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 3
Dawnie Rae loves school and baseball, but her world becomes unfamiliar when she changes from a black school to an all-white one.
John's Story, 1775 - Joan Lowery Nixon, (978-0879352288) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 3
Eleven year old John must decide between his brother's revolutionary point of view and his father's tactic of moderation during the war with the British in the late 1700's.
Shades of Gray - Carolyn Reeder, (978-0689826962) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3
After becoming an orphan, Will goes to live with his aunt and uncle in Virginia who do not appreciate his conscientious objector views of the war.
Give Me Liberty - Laura Elliot, (978-0060744236) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 810, ESL level: 3
As Nathaniel completes his indentureship to a teacher in Williamsburg, he finds himself in the middle of the misunderstandings between the two sides in the upcoming Civil War.
Who's Saying What in Jamestown, Thomas Savage? - Jean Fritz, (399-246444) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 2-5, Lexile: 810, ESL level: 3
Thomas Savage settled in Jamestown, Virginia and was able to be an interpreter for the Algonquins because of his linguistic gifts in this biography.
Blood on the River: James Town, 1607 - Elisa Carbone, (978-0142409329) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-8, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 3
Captain John Smith's young assistant, Samuel, keeps his ears and eyes open after arriving in the colony of Jamestown in order to learn what is safe and what is dangerous.
The Search for Belle Prater - Ruth White, (978-0440421641) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3
Three seventh grade friends decide to try and find one of their missing mothers in an adventurous quest.
Ghost Girl - Delia Ray, (978-0618333776) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 920, ESL level: 3 - 4
April longs to learn to read because of a wonderful new teacher, but family problems keep her out of school.
Taking Liberty: The Story of Oney Judge, George Washington's Runaway Slave - Ann Rinaldi, (978-0689851889) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 580, ESL level: 2 - 3
Martha Washington's slave decides she must run away from the home where she has served for many years.
Light Years - Tammar Stein, (978-0440239024) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 720, ESL level: 3 / 4
Maya is still trying to come to terms with the her boyfriend's death in a suicide bombing back home in Israel as she matriculates as a student at a Virginia university.
Time's Memory - Julius Lester, (374-371784) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 870, ESL level: 3
A young slave recognizes the ancestral spirit within him as he goes through the months before the Civil War breaks out.
Deep Down Popular - Phoebe Stone, (439-802458) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 960, ESL level: 3 - 4
Jessie Lou makes friends with her crush after she is asked to help him with a problem.
Washington
E is for Evergreen: A Washington State Alphabet - Roland Smith, (978-1585361434) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Washington.
N is for Our Nation's Capital - Roland Smith, (978-1585361489) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about Washington D.C.
Seaglass Summer - Anjali Banerjee, (385-735677) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 590, ESL level: 3
Poppy is not sure she still wants to become a vet after helping out in her uncle's veterinary clinic.
Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It - Sundee Frazier, (385-734395) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-6, Lexile: 630, ESL level: 3 - 4
Bi-racial Brendan tries to link up with his white grandfather because of their shared interest in minerals and rocks.
Grape Thief - Kristine Franklin, (978-0763613259) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 650, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young schoolboy finds his struggles to stay in school and get enough to eat similar to those of his classmates who have a wide variety of ethnic identities.
The Stranger Next Door - Peg Kehret, (978-0142412480) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3 - 4
Twelve-year-old boys become friends after both of their families move to the same neighborhood, all because of a cat.
The Trouble with May Amelia - Jennifer Holm, (978-1416913733) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3
A young Finnish-American woman, the only female among 8 siblings, tries to save her farm when a slick buyer turns up to take it away from her family.
Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family - Lensey Namioka, (978-0440412311) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3
Yingmei experiences cultural differences when trying to be an "American"" at school while her family at home sticks to their old Chinese beliefs."
Annie's War - Jacqueline Sullivan, (978-0802853547) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-7, Lexile: 760, ESL level: 3
During WWII, Annie finds she must use her imagination to help her cope with her stressful living situation and the fact that her father, a fighter in the Army Air Corps, is missing in action.
The Ghost's Grave - Peg Kehret, (978-0142408193) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3
Josh, while spending a summer with an aunt, soon gets into his new life after he meets a coal miner's ghost in this scary but also humorous book.
The Ghost, the White House, and Me - Judith St. George, (978-0823420452) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 800, ESL level: 3 - 4
KayKay enjoys living in the White House with her mother a female President of the U.S. until she discovers a ghost lives with them; read about the practical jokes she plays on her mother as a result!
The Rhyming Season - Edward Averett, (978-0618469482) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 600, ESL level: 4
After her brother Is killed in a car accident, Brenda tries to reinspire her dying mill town's citizens and ease her family's grief by winning the state basketball tournament.
Gym Candy - Carl Deuker, (978-1606863763) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-11, Lexile: 710, ESL level: 4
Mick makes the mistake of using steroids in order to enhance his high school football performance after being pressured by his father to win, win, win.
All-American Girl - Meg Cabot, (978-0061479892) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 880, ESL level: 3 - 4
A teen girl has a busy sophomore year after she gains the role of Teen Ambassador to the UN, foils a Presidential murder attempt, and attracts the First Son.
West Virginia
M is for Mountain State: A West Virginia Alphabet - Mary Ann Riehle, (978-1585361519) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of West Virginia.
When I Was Young in the Mountains - Cynthia Rylant, (978-0140548754) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 980, ESL level: 3 - 4
An older adult looks back with fondness on her growing up years in rural mountains.
Star Fisher - Laurence Yep, (978-0140360035) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-12, Lexile: 850, ESL level: 3 - 4
Joan Lee and her Chinese-American family find adjusting to life in prejudice-bound West Virginia difficult after living in Ohio relatively peaceably.
Shiloh Season - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, (978-0689806469) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 3
A young boy from West Virginia needs to be fearful of his dog's safety when its former abusive owner reappears in its life.
When The Whistle Blows - Fran Cannon Slayton, (978-0399251894) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 810, ESL level: 3 - 4
Jimmy grows up in a railroad family in West Virginia, and he expects to work on the railroads himself after he grows up.
Way Down Deep - Ruth White, (374-382514) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 3 - 4
After orphaned Ruby moves into a boarding house and a happy new life, old acquaintances come to town and begin to reveal things about her past she would prefer to keep secret.
The Miner's Daughter - Gretchen Moran Laskas, (978-1416912620) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 850, ESL level: 3 - 4
A West Virginia teen, living in a poverty-stricken area in West Virginia's coal mining country, finds hope in joining a new writing program started by Eleanor Roosevelt.
Body of Water - Sarah Cooley, (978-0312612542) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-9, Lexile: 940, ESL level: 3
Ember and her Wiccan family become homeless and begin living on a campground, adding to Ember's worries about her doubts about a friend and a lost dog.
Missing May - Cynthia Rylant, (978-0439613835) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 980, ESL level: 4
Summer and her uncle try to find ways to cope with the death of her aunt.
Wisconsin
B is for Badger: A Wisconsin Alphabet - Kathy-Jo Wargin, (978-1585361359) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 2 - 3
This alphabet book highlights many special people, places, and things about Wisconsin culture and history.
The Giant Ball of String - Arthur Geisert, (978-0618840670) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, ESL level: 2
When the people of a small town in Wisconsin lose their claim to fame, a giant ball of string, they pool their resources to find it.
Winter Days in the Big Woods - Laura Ingalls Wilder, (978-0064433730) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 2 - 3
This adapted classic charms readers with its descriptions of pioneer family life in the big woods of rural Wisconsin during a harsh winter.
Oggie Cooder - Sarah Weeks, (978-0439927949) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-5, Lexile: 880, ESL level: 3 - 4
Everyone has a talent and Oggie's is to be able to shape cheese into states by chewing!
Bird Lake Moon - Kevin Henkes, (978-0061470790) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 740, ESL level: 2 - 3
Mitch makes a new friend at the lake where he is visiting his grandparents after his parents divorce.
Thimble Summer - Elizabeth Enright, (978-0312380021) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 810, ESL level: 3 - 4
A young farm girl has an exciting summer entering the county fair and welcoming an orphan boy to her family.
Caddie Woodlawn - Carol Ryrie Brink, (978-1416940289) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-10, Lexile: 890, ESL level: 3 - 4
This well-loved classic describes a frontier tomboy from Wisconsin.
The Game of Silence - Louise Erdrich, (978-0064410298) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 900, ESL level: 3
A pre-teen native American Ojibwa moves farther west with her family.
Ida B: -- And Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World - Katherine Hannigan, (978-0439837156) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-12, Lexile: 970, ESL level: 3
Ida loves learning at home and being able to explore to her heart's content in the family orchard, but her life has a radical change when her mother has to be treated for breast cancer.
Dairy Queen - Catherine Murdock, (978-0618683079) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 990, ESL level: 4
D.J. changes from training a football quarterback to going out for the team herself.
The Island - Gary Paulsen, (978-0439786621) , Fiction
Interest level: 5-12, Lexile: 1050, ESL level: 4
Wil finds himself when he goes to stay alone on a beautiful lake island in Northern Wisconsin.
Wyoming
C is for Cowboy: A Wyoming Alphabet - Eugene Gagliano, (978-1585360970) , Non-fiction
Interest level: 0-2, ESL level: 1 - 2
This book features all the things that are special about the state of Wyoming.
Dinosaur Hunter - Elaine Marie Alphin, (978-0064442565) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 470, ESL level: 2
A young boy learns how to fight swindlers after he finds dinosaur remains on his Wyoming ranch and eventually gets to sell them to fossil hunters.
The Case of the Missing Cutthroats - Jean Craighead George, (978-0064406475) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
Spinner catches a rare trout and tries to find its place of origin in the mountains near the Snake River in Wyoming.
Paint the Wind - Pam Munoz Ryan, (439-873622) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 780, ESL level: 3
Maya has a chance to relocate to her family's Wyoming ranch, and she finds she has a knack with horses that lead her to some exciting adventures.
Scumble - Ingrid Law, (978-0142419625) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-8, Lexile: 900, ESL level: 4
Ledge learns to control his gift of mystical powers to help his family's ranch while a fledgling reporter is attempting to reveal family secrets.
My Friend Flicka - Mary O'Hara, (978-0061374630) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-8, Lexile: 960, ESL level: 2 - 3
A young boy loves his horse Flicka and learns responsibility through caring for her in this classic novel of horses, ranch life, and difficult fathers.
Walker's Crossing - Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, (978-0689842610) , Fiction
Interest level: 6-12, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 3 - 4
Ryan's brother's decision to join a local militia movement conflicts with his hopes to become a cowbow in Wyoming.
The Haymeadow - Gary Paulsen, (978-0440409236) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 1010, ESL level: 4
John's summer on a Wyoming sheep ranch results in greater maturity and independence.
Region - Midwest
Moonstick: The Seasons of the Sioux - Eve Bunting, (978-0064436199) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 490, ESL level: 2 - 3
A young Sioux boy's activities are determined by the seasons of the year; nature and its manifestations play an enormous part in Sioux life.
Crazy Horse's Vision - Joseph Bruchac, (978-1591129110) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-10, Lexile: 420, ESL level: 2 - 3
This book provides a detailed, fictionalized account of Crazy Horse's youthful change from being a fiery warrior to becoming a leader of his people among the Plains Indians.
Gift Horse: A Lakota Story - S.D. Nelson, (978-0810941274) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-6, Lexile: 610, ESL level: 2 - 3
Read about the initiation preparations and rituals of a young Lakota warrior.
Bad River Boys - Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, (978-1437971408) , Fiction
Interest level: 2-6, Lexile: 790, ESL level: 3 - 4
The Lewis and Clark expedition party comes across Lakota Indians.
Region - Southwest
The Fiesta Dress - Caren McNelly McCormack, (978-0761454670) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-1, ESL level: 2
Eva's little sister feels ignored as the family prepares for Eva's quinceanera celebration.
Finding Susie - Sandra Day O'Connor, (978-0375841033) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, ESL level: 2 - 3
Written by Sandra Day O'Connor, this book reflects elements of her growing up, especially her desire to adopt pets from the wild; the little girl eventually realizes she can help hurt animals, but their home is really in natural surroundings.
Abuelita's Heart - Amy Cordova, (978-1416975762) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-4, Lexile: 830, ESL level: 2 - 3
A young girl's special visits to her grandmother in the Southwest lead to a close relationship with her abuelita and a special understanding of the wonders of the desert area and its flora and fauna.
Dona Flor - Pat Mora, (978-0375823374) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 860, ESL level: 2
Dona Flor grows into a giant but her big heart enables her to keep helping the people around her.
Chicks and Salsa - Aaron Reynolds, (978-1599900995) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 1010, ESL level: 2
The Nuthatcher Farm comes alive with the chickens start making their own salsa!
Boy of the Border - Arna Bontemps, (978-0979098703) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-8, ESL level: 3
This republished account of a young boy accompanying his uncle on a horse drive to LA regales the reader with their adventures along the way; examining a book of this age provides a delightful opportunity to look into the history of literature by minorities.
Sing Down the Moon - Scott O'Dell, (978-0547406329) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 820, ESL level: 3 - 4
This fictionalized account of the Navajo forced march to Fort Sumner in 1864 reveals much about the lives of native Americans in the U.S. West.
Territory - Guam
Keeper of the Night - Kimberly Willis Holt, (978-0312661038) , Fiction
Interest level: 4-12, Lexile: 690, ESL level: 3 - 4
Isabel is haunted by her mother's suicide, but the rich cultural offerings of Guam distract her from her grief and add to interest in her life.
Territory - Puerto Rico
Play Ball - Jorge Posada, (978-1416998259) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 510, ESL level: 2 - 3
Based on the true life of Jorge Posada, this book shows how Posada's father coached him to play left-handed to be successful.
The Outside Dog - Charlotte Pomerantz, (978-0064441872) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-4, Lexile: 410, ESL level: 2
Marisol's grandfather would not be persuaded to let her get a dog until he met one special creature that Marisol loved in this charming I Can Read book.
Rafi and Rosi - Lulu Delacre, (978-0060735975) , Fiction
Interest level: 1-3, Lexile: 440, ESL level: 2
Rafi and Rosi, brother and sister frogs, are curious about the flora and fauna of their native Puerto Rico in this I Can Read book.
Hurricane! - Jonathan London, (978-0688129774) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-2, Lexile: 460, ESL level: 2
A young boy has a lot of new experiences with his family as they experience a hurricane that hits their Puerto Rican home.
A Doll for Navidades - Esmeralda Santiago, (439-553989) , Fiction
Interest level: 0-3, Lexile: 1040, ESL level: 4
Although initially disappointed she does not get the doll she wanted for Christmas in Puerto Rico, she learns more about the meaning of gift giving when she considers the present she does get.
Going Home - Nicholasa Mohr, (978-0141306445) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-7, Lexile: 680, ESL level: 3
Although Felita is excited to go visit her relatives in Puerto Rico, it takes quite a while for her to adjust and be accepted.
Emily Goldberg Learns to Salsa - Micol Ostow, (978-1595141446) , Fiction
Interest level: 7-12, Lexile: 730, ESL level: 4 - 5
Emily experiences culture shock when she makes a first visit to Puerto Rico for a family funeral after growing up half-Jewish in Westchester, NY.
Territory - U.S. VIrgin Islands
My Name is Not Angelica - Scott O'Dell, (978-0547406305) , Fiction
Interest level: 3-6, Lexile: 750, ESL level: 3 - 4
A teen female slave from West African suffers under cruel masters in St. John, the Virgin Islands, but later takes part in a slave rebellion.