Gingerly by Terri Kelley is the story of a fifth grade outcast, a tall, overweight girl who dreams of being a dancer, but only dances in the privacy of her own bedroom. Gingerly Matson hates being larger than all of the other kids in her...

The Principal's Son by Roderick J. Robison is about Peter Brantwill, a shy kid. When Peter's father becomes the principal of Birch Ridge Elementary School where he is studying, his world turns topsy-turvy. He finds himself the center of a lot of unwanted attention. He...

Labyrinth’s Door – Anyia: Dream of a Warrior is a story of change. We all resist change and Anyia’s father, the Chief, was no different. In the tradition of the Nagoran Village, women were expected to learn the art of cooking and cleaning. But Anyia...

While I tend to skip over books aimed at elementary school students, Adventures of a Mad 6th Grader by Stephen Zanzucchi caught my attention and demanded to be read. The book centers around Frank, the mad sixth-grader in question, and the two main problems in...

The Adventured Star by Pamela T. Chandler is a delightful story about Najma, the travelling star who moves to Abu Dhabi. During her stay there, she wishes to be the star of Abu Dhabi. The book has some excellent illustrations that complement the story. I found...

Blueberry Bubble Gum was written by Mahamad Ali Elfakir and illustrated by Victor Guiza. Max has a bad habit of not telling the truth. Max would tell lies to his family and friends without understanding that lies hurt people. Max’s father gave him a special...

Hockey Agony by Donna M. McDine revolves around Larry and sports. Larry is unable to play any sport because of a broken leg so he is given the duty of running the clock during the big hockey contest. The story actually begins from there. The...

Powder Monkey by Donna M. McDine tells the story of 12-year-old Tommy Kitt. He is captured and forced to be a seaman by the Royal Navy Press Gang, which has also taken his older brother James and other young boys in his village. Life at...

Diary of a Real Payne - True Story by Annie Tipton is about a 10-year-old girl whose name is Emma Jean Payne. E.J. (as she likes to call herself) lives in Spooner, Wisconsin which she thinks is a very boring town. She has a little...

The Goodwill Vultures Club by Hugh Willard is about a fifth grade boy named Elton, whose dad is a ornithologist. The story includes domestic and wild animals. The plot is simple, and well-explored, teamed up with great characters to boot. This tale has many interesting...