Middle People's (and some adult) Books: - Authors “A-E”
[This
list is constantly expanding, as our newest generation has entered this level
of maturity. The age designations I have
chosen are influenced by the fact that we have an “early reader”. Don’t assume all books on this list are
“recommended”; please read the notes for each book; a few are on here because I
do NOT recommend them.]
Louisa May Alcott
- (fiction) [8+ yrs]
Great author of young people’s
stories, always with emphasis on good behavior and morals.
§ March Family Saga
o Little Women, or Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy (semi-autobiographical) –
tells the story of she and her three sisters in Concord, MA during and after
the Civil War (1868) [9+ yrs]
o Little Men: Life at
Plumfield -- story of her nephews (and other boys) who lived with her
at Orchard House in Concord, MA. (1871) [9+ yrs]
o Jo's Boys and How They
Turned Out: A Sequel to “Little Men (1886) ” [9+ yrs]
§ Other Stories (fiction)
o Eight Cousins – story of a lonely orphan
living with older relatives and her seven boy cousins who live nearby (1876) [9+ yrs]
o Rose in Bloom [9+ yrs] (sequel) (1876) [9+ yrs] (It’s been 50 yrs since I read
this one.)
o An Old Fashioned
Girl (1870) [9+ yrs] (It’s
been 50 yrs since I read this one.)
The American Girl books –
· series of
books for each character (doll). I am pleasantly surprised by the two I
have read so far. Not only are they well researched and do not revise
history, but they are also very well written and interesting--much better than
many well-known children's books--surprising. (I have also reviewed one of
their movies, “Samantha” which is as good as the books. Of
course the extras on the DVD introduces children to their store where one can
take one’s doll to tea parties and such…)
Avi
o Hard
Gold: The Colorado Gold Rush of 1859 (I Witness series)
(historical fiction) [7+ yrs]
o Iron
Thunder: The Battle Between the Monitor & the Merrimac (I Witness series)
(historical fiction) Our young man LOVES this book, and it is a simple
explanation for grownups as well. [7+ yrs]
o “Who Was That Masked Man
Anyway?” (fiction)
- difficult to know how to classify this one as children no longer grow up listening
to mysteries on the radio, so I do not know how many could follow the
format. There is little wrong with the book, except for a few expletives
and swearing (quotes from actual
old radio programs). I do not particularly recommend it, but it could be
read by 8+ yrs.
Blue Baillet – (fiction)
·
Chasing Vermeer - A Vermeer painting is
stolen and two 11-year olds set out to solve the mystery. Pentominoes
figure largely in the story, as well as sort of supernatural occurrences.
I’m not sure that every child would be interested in reading a book where the
story is based on the use of pentominoes, including letters written in code
between friends to decipher, but some children would like it. It is
obviously intended to hyper-stimulate the imagination. [9+yrs]
Susan Campbell Bartoletti
o
A Coal Miner’s Bride: The Diary of Anetka Kaminska – Lattimer, Pennsylvania, 1896 –
(historical fiction) – Very good story of a very young (about 13 yrs), poor
Polish girl whose father has agreed to marry her off to a widower with children
who works with her father in the coal mines in America. She
She immigrates and this is largely the story of her life after she
arrives. [Said to be for 9-yr olds,
but they would need to be a very mature 9; I would say not younger than 10—life
was very hard and fraught with loss and danger.
Poland was occupied by Russia and that was also very difficult.]
Marion Dane Bauer –
o Land of the Buffalo Bones:
The Diary of Mary Ann Elizabeth Rodgers, An English Girl in Minnesota -
(historical biographical fiction) - based on the memories of the author's
mother, who was a descendant of the subject of the book. [12+ yrs, begins
with younger classification, but later deals with some very adult subjects,
such as physical abuse by a father and the fact that back then inter-racial
marriage was considered horrific] ("Dear America" series,
Scholastic, Special Edition)
Gary Blackwood – (fiction)
o Around the World in 100
Days - author wrote a “sequel” to Jules Verne’s story.
Harry, son of Phileas Fogg makes his own wager that he can drive a
steam-powered car around the world in 1935. Well written, fast-paced,
elements of danger, fun. [8-9+ yrs]
Steve Brezenoff –
(mysteries) [illustrated by C. B.
Conga]
§ Field Trip Mysteries – series of
nice little beginning chapter books. The kids are 12 years old, but if a
6-1/2 year old has the vocabulary skills, the books are just fine for that
age. Very simple innocuous mysteries the kids solve while on class field
trips.
[7-9 yrs]
o The Burglar Who Bit the
Big Apple
o The Crook Who Crossed the
Golden Gate Bridge
Bertrand R. Brinley – (fiction)
o The Mad Scientists’
Club - great
fun following the adventures of a rambunctious group of boys as they get
themselves into all sorts of trouble and sometimes end up doing good
things! [8+ yrs]
Walter R. Brooks - (fiction)
o
Freddy Goes to the North Pole - adorable story of
animals who live on a farm and have great adventures. Several head off to
the North Pole. One returns to tell them the others are in trouble.
Several leave to rescue them and have some adventures on the way.
(There are many "Freddy" books, and I can't wait to read some
more of them.) [7+ yrs if early reader, 306 pp, large print, well spaced]
[Amazon says 9+] (This copy says "Celebrating 75 years of
Freddy the Pig", but the stories are not at all "dated"--highly
recommend.)
Joseph Bruchac – (fiction)
o Children of the Longhouse – Young Mohawk boy lives
and learns 500 years ago. Written by a person who has known current
Mohawk Indians for 30 years and does a great job incorporating their culture,
beliefs, and way of life into an entertaining story for children which
demonstrates many good moral lessons. [7-8+ yrs]
Clyde Robert Bulla –
o A Lion to Guide Us -
(historical fiction) - 3 children from England end up in Jamestown where their
Dad is after being shipwrecked in the Carribean. [7+ yrs,
although you could read it aloud to a 5-yr old].
It covers a small part of the story of someone who later sailed on the
Mayflower and signed the compact: Stephen Hopkins. It is not
‘about’ Mr. Hopkins, but he is on the journey.
o Star of Wild Horse Canyon – (fiction) – young boy see wild horses and
falls in love with one. Adventures ensue. [7+ yrs, a 5-yr old would
love having it read aloud]
Frances Hodgson Burnett
– (fiction)
o A Little Princess - have not read this one
yet, but I will. I watched the movie and it seemed TERRIFYING for
children.
o Little
Lord Fauntleroy - Poor young boy’s mother has been disowned by her
father. Boy is sent to England to assume his role as “Lord”.
Eventual reconciliation of his family. I loved this one as a child. [8+ yrs]
o The Secret Garden... young
girl is sent from India to England at the death of her parents. No one
wants her and life is miserable until she makes a friend. Later she
discovers a cousin and helps rehabilitate him. Parts can be a bit scary
due to realism. Made and re-made in movies. [8+ yrs]
Dori Hillestad Butler
§ The Buddy Files Series
o The Case of the Lost Boy – A dog’s family is missing; he works
very hard at being a detective. A very nice small story; entirely
suitable for reading aloud to a 5-yr old; older
children will enjoy reading it themselves.
Natalie Savage Carlson –
o The Family Under the
Bridge, illustrated by Garth Williams (fiction) – a tramp and a homeless family
live under a bridge in Paris. [7+ yrs] [Newbery Honor Book, 1959]
Joan Carris –
o Welcome
to the Bed & Biscuit (fiction)
– nice early chapter book about a veterinarian who lives on a farm, all told
through the eyes of a pet pig and his pet friends. Good life lesson on changes
in family dynamics. NOT the
same author as the well-known “Biscuit Books” for little ones. [Read aloud for 5+ yrs; 7 can read to themselves]
Gennifer Choldenko –
o Al Capone Does My Shirts
-- (historical fiction) -- great story, very well written. Do not
let the back cover summary lead you to believe younger children should read
it. It won “teen” book awards for a reason. Lots of exciting things
happen to the 13-yr old as he lives with his family on Alcatraz, but his sister
is “special” and the effect this has on every member of his family in 1935 is a
very significant theme in the story. His mother is almost mentally ill as
a result, and the boy is left to deal with it almost completely on his own for
much of the story. [10+ yrs] [Newbery Honor Book, 2005]
Ann Nolan Clark –
o Secret of the Andes (fiction) great story of young boy growing up
in the mystical heritage of his Inca ancestors [8+ yrs] [Newbery
Medal, 1952]
Beverly Cleary -
o Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (fiction) – just make sure
your 8-yr old knows they’ll get in big trouble in these days if they try some
of this stuff. [8+ yrs]
Andrew Clements – (fiction)
o Frindle -
In order to aggravate his teacher, a fifth grader makes up a new word for
“pen”. He succeeds in his attempt to get attention, and ultimately causes
a nationwide event. I, personally, do not have the degree of appreciation
for this story that many people express, including teachers. A child will
probably like it, but I always read every story with the idea that whatever is
in that story is a lesson I’m teaching the child, and the subtleties of this
one do not fit my concept of a lesson I wish to teach a child. I do not
think we should encourage behavior that “causes an uproar in the students”, the
neighborhood, and the country unless there is a moral principle involved.
Others will disagree; I would hope their parents make certain they understand
the circumstances under which one should make such a fuss. [9+ yrs]
Clive Cussler (yes, the same one
who writes adult books) - (fiction - beginner adventure/fantasy) - Great
books for early readers 5-7 yrs who should not have to deal with much of what
is written for 8-12 year olds, but also for 8-12 yrs. [5-12 yrs]
o The Adventures of Vin Fiz – a magical plane and two kids fly across the
country; good guys, bad guys,
etc.
o The Adventures of Hotsy
Totsy – a
magical boat and the two kids go on an exciting boat race from San Francisco to
Sacramento; more bad guys, etc.
Alice Dalgliesh –
o The Courage of Sarah
Noble – (biographical)
– based on actual relative of the author. Beautifully and simply
written story of an 8-year old in early 1700’s pioneering, learning about her
Indian neighbors, and overcoming her fears. [7+yrs] [Newbery
Honor Book, 1955]
Jacqueline Davies –
o The Lemonade War --
(fiction) –Siblings go through the 8 and 9 year old issues of life. He
feels bad because she is “smarter” than he is and ends up in his same grade at
school. The bad feelings erupt into an all-out war of the lemonade
stands, complete with bad behaviors, friends taking sides—pretty much what
life’s about. Also good lessons in simple business management.
Well-written. [9+ yrs]
Franklin W. Dixon (pseudonym for
multiple writers over many years) –
§ Hardy Boys series
(mystery) – I get the feeling they get periodically “updated”. [8+ yrs]
William Pene Dubois –
o The Twenty-One Balloons (fiction/fantasy) – school teacher goes on a
balloon trip around the world and lands on Krakatoa when it is about to
explode; eventually rescued in the Atlantic Ocean. (Don’t look for data
about Krakatoa here.) [7+ yrs] [Newbery Medal, 1948]
Walter Edmonds –
o The Matchlock Gun -
(historical fiction) - young pioneer saves his mom in Indian attack with his
grandfather's gun) [read aloud at 5 yrs; 7+ yrs] [Newbery
Medal, 1942]
Bernard Evslin – classics
o The
Dolphin Rider and Other Greek Myths - What a nice way to learn
the classics! Published as a Scholastic book in 1976 and perhaps out of
print, but available as “used” through Amazon. He has a really nice way
of writing and retaining the spirit of the originals. [8+ yrs, read aloud to 6+yrs]