Grade | Book Titles | Author |
K | Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? | Bill Martin Jr. |
| This book introduces a new animal on each page in a rhyme. "Blue Horse, Blue Horse, What do you see? I see a green frog looking at me." This pattern is continually repeated until the pre-reader can join in predicting the next rhyme. |
1 | Peter’s Chair | Ezra Jack Keats |
| Peter is feeling ignored because of a new baby sister. He is upset to see his baby bed painted pink and his infant toys passed down to the new baby. His toddler chair helps him work through his new family dynamics. |
2 | Something Beautiful | Sharon Dennis Wyeth |
| A young African American girl, who dislikes the appearance of her neighborhood, asks people in her community to name “something beautiful.” She embraces the responses of the community to create a plan of action and a vision for the future. |
3 | Sheila Rae, The Brave | Kevin Henkes |
| Sheila Rae is a brave mouse, not afraid of anything. She stands face to face with her imaginary horrors. Sheila Rae decides on a new challenge, going home from school a new way. She becomes lost and frightened but is rescued by an unexpected ally. |
4 | Wayside School is Falling Down | Louis Sachar |
| Wacky and unbelievable events are the norm at Wayside School, particularly in Mrs. Jewls’ class on the thirtieth floor. In addition to academics, the children learn to value themselves and each other, all while having fun. |
5 | The Watsons Go to Birmingham– 1963 | Christopher Paul Curtis |
| Kenny, age 9, narrates the story. His middle-class black family travels from their home in Flint, Michigan, to Birmingham, Alabama, to visit their grandmother. There they become a part of history when a bomb explodes at the church. |
6 | Bud, Not Buddy | Christopher Paul Curtis |
| After his mother’s death, Bud lives in an orphanage and then in a foster home. He runs away to search for his father. On his journey during the Great Depression, he faces many set backs and is helped by many strangers. |
7 | Tears of a Tiger | Sharon M. Draper |
| Andy is a young black man who was the driver in a car accident that killed his best friend. He faces guilt, heartache, and anger. The book’s structure is a series of media articles, letters, and conversations that portray the tragedy of bad choices. |
8 | Gifted Hands | Ben Carson |
| This autobiography of Benjamin Carson captures the early life struggles of Ben’s family and the forces that motivated him to become a world-renowned neurosurgeon. |
9 | The Outsiders | S.E. Hinton |
| Ponyboy is a sensitive 14-year-old boy with a tough exterior. He and his brothers are part of a loosely organized gang that battles another gang of more affluent boys. The book explores stereotypes, friendship, loyalty, and heroism. |
10 | The Secret Life of Bees | Sue Monk Kidd |
| Lily Owen, a 14-year-old Caucasian girl, runs away from her abusive father to South Carolina to seek answers about her deceased mother. She is taken in by an African-American family of sisters who are bee keepers. |
11 | I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings | Maya Angelou |
| This book is the autobiography of Maya Angelou's young life in the segregated South. It depicts the strength of her character and the struggles of growing up, as well as the forces that helped her cope with loneliness, trauma, and society's prejudices. |
12 | Runaway Jury | John Grisham |
| In this courtroom drama, the widow of a lifelong smoker who died prematurely of lung cancer is suing Big Tobacco. The jury is composed of people who have dirty little secrets |
