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30 Great Books for Guys |
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30 Great Books for Guys |
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Juv Fic=Juvenile Fiction; K=Kennedy Library; W=Westergard Library |
| Juv Fic
Alder Crossing the Panther's Path, by Elizabeth Alder/ Grades 5+/ K A tale based on the true story of 15-year-old Billy Calder, who, due to his multi-language fluency, was able to become great Shawnee leader Tecumseh's translator and aide during the War of 1812, and fought with him to protect the Native American's land. |
| Juv Fic
Armstrong Drew and the Bub Daddy Showdown, by Robb Armstrong/ Grades 3-5/ K After breaking his wrist in an attempt to copy his daredevil brother, seven-year-old Drew is suddenly able to draw cartoons like a professional artist. Read also Drew and the Homeboy Question |
| Juv Fic
Brennan Mystery Machine, by Herbie Brennan/ Grades 4-6/ KW When Hubert accidentally crashes through the shed of the weird woman who moved in next door, he discovers that she's really a member of an alien race that plans to take over Earth! |
| Juv Fic
Brown Arthur and the Crunch Cereal Contest, by Marc Brown/ Grades 2-4/ K Arthur has entered a contest to come up with a jingle for Crunch cereal, but he can't think of a single thing. Then he hears his sister D.W. singing a catchy tune...can he "borrow" her song for the contest? Read the other books in the Arthur series, such as Arthur Accused |
| Juv Fic
Clements The Janitor's Boy, by Andrew Clements/ Grades 4-6/ K Fifth-grade Jack is mortified when the school janitor says hello to him in class. Why? He happens to be Jack's father, and now the other kids are teasing him. Jack has a plan to get his father back though... the perfect crime. |
| Juv Fic
Dahl James and the Giant Peach, by Roald Dahl/ Grades 4-6/ KW When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree grows to be as big as a house, and when James finds a secret entranceway, he discovers a whole group of oversized talking bugs dwelling inside. |
| Juv Fic
Fleischman The Ghost on Saturday Night, by Sid Fleischman/ Grades 3-4/ KW "The Ghost is coming," say the signs around town of Professor Pepper's ghost-raising show. But the Professor does more than just raise the ghost--he allows him to escape into the foggy night! Good thing young Opie is well-trained in the "fog business." |
| Juv Fic
Gorman Dork in Disguise, by Carol Gorman/ Grades 4+/ KW Last year, Jerry Flack was a major dork. So this year, at a new school in a new town, he's decided to start a new life altogether. After summer-long preparations of studying teen magazines, acquiring hair gel, and distressing his jeans, he is ready to be a "Cool Kid." Read also Dork on the Run |
| Juv Fic
Herman Just Like Mike, by Gail Herman/ Grades 3-4/ KW Michael's mother has just remarried, and of all the last names his new stepfather could have, his ends up being Jordan. Now, due to his famous name, all the kids think he's a great basketball player. So how does Mike tell them he can't even dribble? |
| Juv Fic
Hobbs Ghost Canoe, by Will Hobbs/ Grades 5+/ KW When a sailing ship crashes on the shore where 14-year-old Nathan's father is the lighthouse keeper, Nathan has a hard time believing the authorities' claims that there were no survivors. His doubts are confirmed when Nathan starts finding unexplained footprints on a deserted beach, and begins to feel like someone is hiding from him. |
| Juv Fic
Ibbotson The Secret of Platform Thirteen, by Eva Ibbotson/ Grades 4-6/ K The door between the human world and the enchanted Island is only open for nine days every year. Unfortunately, in the last minutes before it closed nine years ago, the baby prince of the Island was kidnapped and taken to London. Now, nine years later, a rescue team is chosen, and Cor, an ancient wizard; Gurkie, a fairy; Hans, a one-eyed giant; and Odge, a resourceful young hag, set out to find the prince. |
| Juv Fic
Karr Skullduggery, by Kathleen Karr/ Grades 5+/ KW In 1839 New York, 12-year-old Matthew has two jobs while working for phrenologist Dr. Cornwall. By day, he greets Cornwall's wealthy patients and assists in their head "readings." By night, he digs up famous people's graves and steals their heads so the doctor can experiment on their skulls. Read also Bone Dry |
| Juv Fic
Korman Maxx Comedy: The Funniest Kid in America, by Gordon Korman/ Grades 4-6/ KW Eleven-year-old Max has wanted to be a stand-up comedian since he was five, so when a contest comes around for the "Funniest Kid in America," Max figures he's a shoe-in. In the end, his attempts to make a demo CD, find an audience to provide a laugh track, and actually get to the contest on time prove to be even funnier than some of his jokes. |
| Juv Fic
Lennon There's a Kangaroo in My Soup, by Joan Lennon/ Grades 3-5/ KW When Cynthia, the "Mistress of 1,000 Disguises" kangaroo, escapes from the circus to pursue her true calling as a comic, she decides to hide out at shy, quiet Kevin's house. Here, she helps Kevin to come out of his shell, and aids in solving the mystery of his parents' stolen inventions. |
| Juv Fic
McMullan The New Kid at School, by Kate McMullan/ Grades 2-4/ KW Young Wiglaf is tired of being picked on. So, when he spies a poster for a "Dragon Slayers Academy," with classes like "How to Stalk a Fire-Breather," he signs up and expects it to turn him into a hero. What he doesn't expect is that he'll have to fight a dragon on his very first day, and his magic sword doesn't seem to be working. Read the other books in the Dragon Slayers Academy, such as Class Trip to the Cave of Doom |
| Juv Fic
Mead Junebug, by Alice Mead/ Grades 4-6/ KW Junebug dreams that one day he and his mother and sister will move from their awful housing project where drugs, gangs, and guns are all around. Junebug's tenth birthday is coming up, and consequently, he knows the gangs and drug dealers will be after him to join soon. Junebug has other plans for himself, though. Read the other books in the Junebug series, such as Junebug in Trouble |
| Juv Fic
Murphy The Journal of James Edmond Pease, A Civil War Union Soldier, by Jim Murphy/ Grades 5+/ KW James Edmond, a sixteen-year-old Union soldier, is assigned by his lieutenant to keep a diary of his and "G" Company's experiences during their time fighting in the Civil War. Read the other books in the My America series |
| Juv Fic
Park Skinnybones, by Barbara Park/ Grades 3-5/ K Alex is very small for his age, so he uses humor to make up for his size and poor athletic skills. He takes one joke a bit too far, though, when he brags to the school's best baseball player that he can beat him in a pitching contest. Too bad Alex can't beat anyone in baseball because as he says himself, he "stinks!" Read also Almost Starring Skinnybones |
| Juv Fic
Ritter The Boy Who Saved Baseball, by John Ritter/ Grades 5+/ KW Since the fate of the town's baseball field will be determined by one game, Tom knows he must do everything he can to make sure his local team beats the better equipped summer-camp team. If only he can enlist the help of Dante Del Gato, the old recluse who once played in the majors, but mysteriously abandoned his team right before they played in the World Series. |
| Juv Fic
Rodda Rowan of Rin, by Emily Rodda/ Grades 4-6/ K The people of Rin are strong and brave, except for young Rowan, who is timid and shy. When the town's water supply dries up, and Rowan is the only one with the magical power needed to read the map, he must join six fellow villagers in climbing the forbidden Mountain, and face the rumored dragon and other horrors. Read the other books in the Rowan series, such as Rowan and the Keeper of the Crystal |
| Juv Fic
Scieszka The Not-So-Jolly Roger, by Jon Scieszka/ Grades 3-5/ KW Through the mysterious magic of "the book," friends Joe, Sam, and Fred are able to travel back in time. They soon wish they had stayed home, though, when they find themselves prisoners of the evil pirate Blackbeard. Read the other books in the Time Warp Trio series, such as Summer Reading is Killing Me |
| Juv Fic
Seuling Robert and the Back to School Special, by Barbara Seuling/ Grades 3-5/ KW Third grade Robert has a big problem: his sneakers are not the cool ones that everyone else is wearing. He knows his parents won't buy him a new pair, so he decides to wear his outgrown hiking boots instead. That should solve the problem, right? Read the other books in the Robert series, such as Robert and the Great Pepperoni |
| Juv Fic
Shusterman The Dark Side of Nowhere, by Neal Shusterman/ Grades 5+/ KW Jason's life is turned upside down when his friend mysteriously dies of bizarre causes, causing him to learn a dark truth about himself: the shots he must take each month are not for his health at all, but for a far more sinister purpose. |
| Juv Fic
Spinelli Wringer, by Jerry Spinelli/ Grades 5+/ KW In 9-year-old Palmer's town, a popular yearly fundraiser occurs where local men gun down thousands of live pigeons and the ten-year-old boys are enlisted as "wringers" to break the necks of the birds that are only wounded. Most town boys look forward to their tenth birthday when they can join the tradition, but Palmer dreads it, being sickened by the violence, and knowing he must somehow find the courage to oppose it. |
| Juv Fic
Stewart If That Breathes Fire, We're Toast, by Jennifer Stewart/ Grades 4-6/ KW 12-year-old Rick isn't too happy about having to move to San Diego with his mother. Things look up, though, after Rick's mother orders a replacement furnace from a mysterious company called "Dragonwerks," and they send Madam Yang, a 500-year-old manicured dragon who snacks on prissy children and has the ability to time travel. |
| Juv Fic
Torrey The Case of the Gasping Garbage, by Michele Torrey/ Grades 3-5/ KW What can you do when you think there's a monster in your garbage? Or you've received a love letter from a secret admirer, but just can't figure out who it's from? Call Doyle and Fossey, Science Detectives! They'll solve the mystery pronto, and teach you a little science while they're at it. Read the other books in the Doyle and Fossey series, such as the Case of the Mossy Lake Monster |
| Juv Fic
Turner Haunted Igloo, by Bonnie Turner/ Grades 4-6/ KW For someone afraid of the dark, like Jean-Paul, living in the Arctic, where the sun doesn't shine all winter, is a severe test of courage. Jean-Paul is further tested when, in an attempt to befriend the local Inuit boys, he agrees to stay in a deserted igloo for two hours as a gang initiation. |
| Juv Fic
Venokur The Cookie Company, by Ross Venokur/ Grades 4-6/ KW When Alex, a very unlucky boy, receives a mysterious Chinese food delivery on his 13th birthday, he hardly expects a good fortune in his cookie. Little does he know that his luck and life are about to change... all due to the power of the "Cookie Company." |
| Juv Fic
Walter Justin and the Best Biscuits in the World, by Mildred Walter/ Grades 4-6/ W Justin is tired of living with his family of all girls. So, when Grandpa invites him to spend the summer working on his ranch, he jumps at the chance, and learns a thing or two about himself and his black ancestry in the process. |
| Juv Fic
Yep Cockroach Cooties, by Laurence Yep/ Grades 4-6/ KW Teddy thinks his little brother Bobby and his bug collection are a major pain, but when Bobby starts getting bullied at school, Teddy knows he must help. As the boys come up with a plan to get the bully, Teddy realizes Bobby's bugs just may be useful after all. Read the other books about Teddy & Bobby, such as Skunk Scout |
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Piscataway Public Library |
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Children's Services 2005 |
