The Thief and the Beanstalk by P.W. Catanese

"Nick joins a band of thieves and must break into a large white castle that allegedly holds an old man, Jack--rich from a quest up a magical beanstalk--but when Nick has to journey up the same beanstalk, it holds unfamiliar foes. " Follett
Read more at: http://www.pwcatanese.com/catanese_thief.htm

All Stations Distress! by Don Brown

"THE "UNSINKABLE" MEETS THE UNTHINKABLE -- A gripping acount of the ill-fated maiden voyage of the Titanic. It took 4,000 men to build it, 23 tons of animal grease to slide it into the ocean, 100,000 people to wave bon voyage, but only one wrong move to tear the Titanic apart, sinking it into the pages of history. On a cold moonless night in April of 1912, 2,000 passengers--both the uber-rich enjoying a luxury cruise and the dirt-poor hoping to find a new life in America--struggled to survive. Only 700 suceeded. Lifeboats were launched half-full; women were forced to leave their husbands and sons behind; and even those who made it out alive were forever haunted, constantly wondering "why me?" Told through captivating prose and chilling first-hand accounts, Don Brown take the pieces of the broken Titanic and gives it such a vivid shape that you'd swear you've never heard the story before."--Mackin Educational Resources

Amazon.com Review.

A Dog's Life by Ann Martin

"Squirrel, a stray puppy, tells her life story, from her nurturing mother and brother to making her own way in the world, facing busy highways, changing seasons, and humans both gentle and brutal." Follett

This book has been loved as a Read Aloud in the first grade classrooms at Norwood.

The Maze of Bones (39 Clues- Book 1) by Rick Riordan

Amy and Dan, members of the powerful Cahill family, try to uncover the thirty-nine clues which will reveal the secrets of their lineage and find out what really happened to their parents. (From Follett)

Read the Amazon Book Review on this book.

The Ruins of Gorlan (The Ranger's Apprentice, Book 1) by John Flanagan

Flanagan, John. The Ruins of Gorlan, New York: Philomel Books, 2005.

When fifteen-year-old Will is rejected by battleschool, he becomes the reluctant apprentice to the mysterious Ranger Halt, and winds up protecting the kingdom from danger. (Follett.com)

Amazon.com reiew.

Everything For a Dog by Ann Martin

A companion novel to Martin's A Dogs Life, this book begins with three alternating and seperate narratives-Charlie's, Henry's, and dog Bone's. Charlie's story begins with the pain of attending his dead brother's eight-grade graduation ceremony while Henry's story starts with his Christmas list of "everything for a dog," giving the book its title. Bone, brother of a A Dog's Life Squirrel, is orphaned and is in need of a family. Martin interweaves each narrative into a powerful story about persistence and the need for companionship and connection.

Amazon Review of this book.

Tumtum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall

Bearn, Emily. Tumtum & Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond. Nutmouse Hall, Boston: Little, Brown, 2009.

Summary: Wealthy, married mice, Tumtum and Nutmeg, find adventure when they secretly try to help two human siblings who live in a tumbledown cottage with their absent-minded inventor father. Thee novellas in one novel. Cute but the length of the book might intimidate the age group this book is geared towards. Gr. 3-5 Genre: Fantasy

Amazon review: http://www.amazon.com/Tumtum-Nutmeg-Adventures-Beyond-Nutmouse/dp/0316027030/ref=ntt_at_ep _dpi_1