Avi. The Secret School Harcourt, c2001.
In 1925, fourteen-year-old Ida Bidson secretly takes over as the teacher when the one-room schoolhouse in her remote Colorado area closes unexpectedly.
http://www.kidsreads.com/authors/au-avi.asp Avi answers kids' questions.
http://www.avi-writer.com/books/secret_school.html From Avi's website about the book.
Birney, Betty G. The World According to Humphrey Putnam's, c2004.
Humphrey, pet hamster at Longfellow School , learns that he has an important role to play in helping his classmates and teacher.
http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2005/08/author-interview-betty-g-birney-on.html
Interview with author about the book.
http://www.bettybirney.com/ Author's website
Carey, Janet Lee. Wenny has Wings Atheneum Books, c2002.
Having had a near-death experience in the accident that killed his younger sister, eleven-year-old Will tries to cope with the situation by writing her letters.
http://www.janetleecarey.com/home.htm Author's website
http://www.janetleecarey.com/wenny1.htm
Corbett, Sue. 12 Again Dutton Children's Books, c2002.
Bernadette, having wished on the eve of her fortieth birthday to be young again, wakes up the next morning as a twelve-year-old, and enrolls in her son Patrick's class in hopes of somehow enlisting his help in returning to her old self.
http://www.suecorbett.com/ Author's website
Coville, Bruce. Juliet Dove, Queen of Love Harcourt, c2003.
A shy twelve-year-old girl must solve a puzzle involving characters from Greek mythology to free herself from a spell which makes her irresistible to boys.
http://www.brucecoville.com/ Author's website
Cummings, Priscilla. A Face First Dutton Children's Books, c2001.
Twelve-year-old Kelley decides to cut off contact with her friends and classmates after suffering third-degree burns to her face and body in a car accident near her home on Maryland's Kent Island.
http://www.teleread.org/blind/2005/02/interview-with-ya-author-priscilla.html
Listen to an audio interview with the author.
DeFelice, Cynthia C. Under The Same Sky Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003.
While trying to earn money for a motor bike, fourteen-year-old Joe Pederson becomes involved with the Mexicans who work on his family's farm and develops a better relationship with his father.
http://www.cynthiadefelice.com/ Author's website
http://www.ellisisland.org/immexp/wseix_4_3.asp Information about immigration past to present
Gorman, Carol. Dork on the Run HarperCollins, c2002.
Having reluctantly agreed to run for sixth-grade president, Jerry, who has been trying to change his image as a dork, finds his opponent playing dirty tricks on him.
http://www.carolgorman.com/dorkrun.html about book on author's website; curriculum connections
http://www.carolgorman.com/ Author's homepage
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. The house on the Gulf Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c2004.
A sixteen-year-old boy arranges a house-sitting job for the summer, but he starts acting strangely after his family moves in, and his sister begins to suspect they are not supposed to be there.
http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/0689854226.asp For such a prolific author, there's really not a whole lot about her on the Internet. Here is a site about the book.
Harlow, Joan Hiatt. Thunder from the Sea Margaret K. McElderry Books, c2004.
Just when his dreams of being part of a family and having a dog seem to be coming true, Tom wonders if trouble with neighbors on his new island home and the impending birth of a new baby will change everything. Set in Newfoundland in 1929.
http://www.joanhiattharlow.com/ Author's website. There's even a place to e-mail her.
Kehret, Peg. The Stranger Next Door Dutton Children's Books, c2002.
A clever cat's heroism helps two twelve-year-old boys become friends after their families, one of which is in a witness protection program, move to neighboring houses in Hilltop, Washington.
http://www.pegkehret.com/ Author's website
http://www.tracievaughnzimmer.com/stranger%20next%20door.htm Discussion questions and projects that go with the story
Kelly, Katy. Lucy Rose, here's the thing about me Delacorte Press, c2004.
Eight-year-old Lucy Rose keeps a diary of her first year in Washington , D.C. , her home since her parents' separation, where she spends time with her grandparents, makes new friends, and longs to convince her teacher to let her take care of the class pet during a holiday.
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/lucyrose/index.html Lucy Rose website (with author info, too…)
Nagda, Ann Whitehead. Meow means mischief Holiday House, c2003.
A stray kitten turns out to be the perfect way to help Rana make friends in her new school and to feel more comfortable with her grandparents, who are visiting from India while her parents are away.
http://www.annnagda.com/ Author's website (has visit info and e-mail address)
Napoli , Donna Jo. Three days Dutton Children's Books, c2001.
Eleven-year-old Jackie finds herself in a dangerous situation when she picked up by two men after her father dies suddenly of heart attack, leaving her alone on an Italian highway.
http://www.donnajonapoli.com/ Author's website (has visit info and e-mail address)
O'Connor, Barbara. Fame and glory in Freedom, Georgia Farrar Straus Giroux, 2003.
Unpopular sixth-grader Burdette "Bird" Weaver persuades the new boy at school, whom everyone thinks is mean and dumb, to be her partner for a spelling bee that might win her everything she's ever wanted.
http://www.barboconnor.com/ Author's website with “teacher stuff” link!
Philbrick, W. Rodman. The young man and the sea Blue Sky Press, c2004.
A starkly dramatic tale about a determined boy who refuses to give up, despite overwhelming odds.
http://www.rodmanphilbrick.com/ Author's website with teaching guides and great links
Sheth, Kashmira. Blue Jasmine Hyperion Books for Children, c2004.
When twelve-year-old Seema moves to Iowa City with her parents and younger sister, she leaves friends and family behind in her native India but gradually begins to feel at home in her new country.
http://kashmirasheth.typepad.com/ Author's weblog: very cool! There is a recipe for Shiro! Shiro! Shiro! from Blue Jasmine posted on Sept. 1, 2006
http://www3.iptv.org/iowa_database/event-detail.cfm?ID=7119 Iowa Distance Learning is sponsoring an ICN session with the author. Sign up cutoff is Sept. 29, 2006/ session is Oct. 6 th . This website has some related links, too.
Van Leeuwen, Jean. Cabin on Trouble Creek Dial Books for Young Readers, c2004.
In 1803 in Ohio , two young brothers are left to finish the log cabin and guard the land while their father goes back to Pennsylvania to fetch their mother and younger siblings.
http://www.jeanvanleeuwen.com/ Author's website with contact info
Vande Velde, Vivian. Witch's Wishes Holiday House, c2003.
On Halloween, six-year-old Sarah encounters a witch who repays her kindness by making her magic wand real for the night, resulting in a series of wishes come true that the witch then has to fix.
http://www.vivianvandevelde.com/ Author's website with info about visits and writing advice.
Make sure to visit the “attic room” link.
Wallace, Bill. Skinny-dipping at Monster Lake Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c2003.
When twelve-year-old Kent helps his father in a daring underwater rescue, he wins the respect he has always craved.
http://www.emints.org/ethemes/resources/S00001198.shtml An author study with links from the Univ. of Missouri
http://www.wallacebooks.com/ Wallace family website
Wallace, Carol. The meanest hound around Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c2003.
After being abandoned, Freddie helps a mild-tempered dog named Spike escape from a cruel junkyard owner and the two manage to survive on their own until they find a loving home.
http://www.wallacebooks.com/ Wallace family website
