Fantasy

(P) I Need My Monster by Amanda Noll

I Need My Monster is about a little boy named Ethan looks under his bed for his monster Gabe. He
finds a note saying that Gabe is away to go fishing. He decides to knock on the floor board for a new
monster for the time being. One by one more and more monsters come out from under his bed but none
of them are good enough, Gabe was the scariest monster there was and he didnt want to replace him.
when Gabe comes back from his fishing trip he explains that all of the fish were afraid of him and that
he likes to scare Ethan because he is a challenge.
Interest Level: K-2
Grade Level: 1.6

(C) Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

This book is about a widowed Mouse. Her name is Mrs. Frisby and she has four children. Her family
lives on a farm that is soon going to be plowed. So they decide that they must leave and go to their
summer house by the river. But when they are preparing to leave Mrs. Frisbys youngest son Timothy
gets sick and can not move for three weeks. After talking to the crow, the wise owl, and the rats that
live under the thorny rose bush, Mrs. Frisby has a plan. She learns how her husband died and sets off
on the same type of mission to save her family.
Interest Level: 3-5
Grade Level: 5.8

(P) The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson

This story is about a little mouse. This mouse made every animal that wanted to eat him afraid by
telling them that he was going to have tea with the Gruffalo. The Gruffalo was a mean, ugly creature
that wants to eat all of those other animals. The mouse then comes in contact with the Gruffalo and tells
him that he is the scariest animal in the forest. Each of the other animals come back and see the mouse
and the Gruffalo together, get scared and run away. At the end of the story we find out that the Gruffalo
is actually the one afraid of the little mouse!
Interest Level: K-3
Grade Level: 3.2

C- Bunnicula: A Rabbit- Tale of Mystery by Deborah and James Howe

This books about a family that goes to a Dracula movie and comes home with a strange bunny. This
bunny does strange things such as sleeping all day and turning vegetables white at night. The family cat
named Chester thinks that Bunnicula is a vampire and will hurt the family. Together the family dog and
Chester start placing garlic around the house to try to stop whatever this vampire bunny is up to. But at
the end of the book we see that Chester is proven wrong and that the bunny was innocent and will not
hurt anyone in the family. This story is told through the family dogs eyes and perspective.
Interest Level: K-5
Grade Level: 4.9

C- Stuart Little by E.B. White (V)

This book is about a little mouse that is born in New York City. His family though consists of humans
not other mice. The family cat, Snowbell is not very fond of Stuart and places his hat and cane outside
a mouse hole and the family panics but then find out that he really didn't leave. Stuart also is great at
sailing and the story tells about how he participates in a sailboat race in central park. Then a bird named
Margolo is found injured on the Littles' windowsill the family then adopts her and Stuart befriends her.
When Margolo suddenly disappears after finding out that one of Snowbells friends want to eat her,
Stuart sets out to find her. A dentist that is the owner of the sailboat Stuart sailed during the race gives
him a model car to see the country. As the book ends he is yet to find Margolo, but is confident she will
be found.
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 7

C- The Giver by Lois Lowry

This story is told from the point of view of an eleven year old boy named, Jonas. He lives in a society
that has gotten rid of all pain, fear, war and hatred. All people look and act the same and there is little
to no competition. When a child turns twelve they are given a job according to their abilities. If you
want to get married you can apply to be assigned a spouse. Also, if you have a child you never have the
chance to spend time with them because for their first year the are sent to a Nurturing Center. At the
ceremony of twelve Jonas was given the job of the Receiver of Memory. The receiver is the keeper of
the communities memories good and bad so that they never go back to how the community was before.
Jonas is then called the Giver.
Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Level: 7 and up

C- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

This story is about Mr. Wonka who owns the greatest chocolate factory in the world. One day he
decides that he is going to open the factory to five children and their parents. Mr. Wonka comes up
with a plan to hide five golden tickets beneath the wrappers of five chocolate bars. The five children
that find the tickets are Augustus, Veruca, Violet, Mike and Charlie. Charlie brings his grandpa Joe as
his adult with him to the factory. At the factory everyone especially Charlie and Joe are amazed over
how great the factory is. As they go through the tour the children start doing things that get them
removed from the factory. At the end of the book Charlie is the last child left and is the winner of the
contest that has been occurring all day without him even knowing.
Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7

Realistic FictionC- Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

This book is about the friendship between Max, a large mentally handicapped boy and Kevin, a very

intelligent boy, whose body is too small for his growing organs. The boys bond over their differences
and go on many adventures that Kevin (nicknamed Freak) hopes to do. On one adventure at the 4th of
July fireworks celebration Freak cannot see the display, so Max lifts Freaks body up on his wide
shoulders. And thats where Freak the Mighty was started. On Freaks birthday he has a seizure and is
rushed to the hospital. He gives Max a blank book and says he wants Max to write about their
adventures. When Max goes to visit the next day he learns that Kevin had passed away. Max begins to
write the story of Freak the Mighty on the pages of the book Kevin had given him.
Interest Level: 3-7
Grade Level: 6.3

P- The Dark by Lemony Snicket

This story is about a little boy named Laslo. He is very scared of the dark that comes at night. Laslo
tries to be friendly and say hello to the dark. The dark then tells him he wanted to show Laslo
something downstairs in the basement. He opens the bottom drawer in a cabinet and finds some light
bulbs. The dark then tells Laslo, you might be afraid of the dark but the dark isnt afraid of you.
Interest Level: K-3

C- 100 Days and 99 Nights by Alan Madison

This book is about a Esmerelda (Esme) who tells what life is like as a member of a military family. Her
father is a Sergeant is the Army and receives new assignments often. Then one saturday morning her
father breaks the news that he will be gone on a tour for 100 days and 99 nights. While her father is
away Esme and her little brother Ike have to accept more responsibilities at home. Although there are
challenges while her father is at war her family does well to cope with the situation at hand. At the end
of the book Esme's father finally returns home.
Interest Level: 3-5
Grade Level: 5.8

C- Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith

This story is about a little boy named Henry Green. Henry love chocolate more than anything! He eats
chocolate sandwiches for lunch and puts chocolate on everything. One day, he starts to break out with
little brown pox that smell just like cocoa! When he is brought to the hospital, the doctor calls it
Chocolate Fever. Henry runs away and hides in a truck, and meets the driver named Mac. Mac
wants to take him home but then the truck is stolen. Mac and Henry get free. After the police arrest the
hijackers Henry and Mac deliver the candy to Alfred Cane, a candy distributor who also had Chocolate
Fever as a boy. Cane tells Henry what he has to do to get rid of his pox, he needs to take vanilla pills
and his spots will go away.
Interest Level: 3-5
Grade Level: 4.8

C- The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

This story is about a boy named Holling Hoodhood. He is a seventh-grader at Camillo Junior High.
He has to spend Wednesday afternoons with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, while the rest of the class has
religious instruction. Holling is sure that Mrs. Baker does not like him. By the end of the book Holling
is achieving in school work and his social life during the vietnam war.
Age Range: 10 - 14 years
Grade Level: 5 9

P- Love you Forever by Robert Munsch

This story is about the love that a parent has for a child. No matter occasional aggravation the mother
visits his bedroom every night to cradle him in her arms, sing a brief lullaby promising to love him
forever.
Interest Level: K-2
Grade Level: 4.8

P- The Grudge Keeper by Mara Rockliff

This story takes place in the town of Bonnyripple. None of the people in the town has ever kept a
grudge, except for Cornelius. They called Cornelius the Grudge Keeper. The Grudge Keeper
received all of the Grudges and Squabbles in the town tucking each one carefully away in his
ramshackle cottage.

P- Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No good, Very bad day by Judith Viorst
From the moment Alexander wakes up one morning things just do not go his way. He gets gum in his
hair, trips when he gets out of bed, does not get a window seat and many more unfortunate events. I
enjoyed this story because
It shows children that everybody has bad days once in a while and that it is just a part of life.
Age Range: 6 - 9 years
Grade Level: 4 - 6

WordlessP- The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney

In this fable, The Lion and the Mouse. The Mouse accidentally awakens and upsets a lion. The lion

felt kind so he decided to let the mouse go. The mouse promises to repay the lion one day. The lion
laughed, thinking what could a mouse do for me. At the end of the book the lion gets caught in a trap
and is helped by the mouse when he saves the Lion's life.
Age Range: 1 and up

P- Journey by Arron Becker

This wordless book follows a girls life. A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and
through it escapes into a world that has wonder, adventure, and danger. Toward the end she is captured
by a sinister emperor, only an act of courage and kindness can set her free.
Age Range: 4 - 8 years
Grade Level: Preschool 3