Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Grade Level Equivalent: 3.7

Interest Level: 2-5
Alexander wakes up in a terrible mood and his day falls apart from there. His sweater falls in the
sink, he doesnt get a toy in his cereal box, he is squished in the car, the teacher says he sings too
loud, he doesnt get any desert in his lunch, his food gets closed in an elevator door, he falls in
the mud, fights with his brother, gets ugly white tennis shoes, makes a mess of his dads office
and has lima beans for dinner. It was just a generally terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day for
Alexander. This book teaches kids that sometimes we have bad days and that is okay. Teachers
can discuss how to handle bad days with children after reading this book.

Blue on Blue by Dianne White (Ryhming/ Illustrations)

Grade Level Equivalent:2.0
Interest Level: K-3
This is a book of poetry. It describes a summer storm from the perspective of a child using vivid
pictures and words. It tells the story of a familys experiencing a summer rain storm. The
beautiful prose and captivating artwork will keep children interested.
This book is a great way to introduce poetry to children.

Chocolate Fever by Robert Kimmel Smith

Grade Level Equivalent:4.2
Interest Level:4-7
Henry loves chocolate a little too much. One day he ate all the chocolate he possibly could and
breaks out in brown spots! His parents take him to the hospital where the doctors experiment on
him. They find that the spots are chocolate. Henry has chocolate fever! Tired of being
experimented on, Henry runs away. A truck driver named Mac finds him and offers to drive
Henry home but before they make it there something happens. Macs truck is hijacked by some
men looking for a cargo of furs. When they open the cargo the find nothing but candy bars. They
cant decide what to do so they take Henry and Mac back to their hideout. Luckily some
neighborhood dogs smell the chocolate and lead the police to Henry. In the end Mac and Henry
deliver the candy to a man named Alfred Cane. Mr. Cane had chocolate fever just like Henry
when he was young and tells Henry how to get rid of it.

Freak the Mighty by Rodnman Philbrick

Grade Level Equivalent: 5.5
Interest Level:5-9
This story is told from the perspective of a boy named Max. Max is a bit of an outcast as he
towers above everyone in his school. Luckily Max finds another outcast, Kevin. Max takes to
playfully calling Kevin freak because of his small size and huge brain. The two become best
friends and go on wonderful misadventures. Sometimes Freak sits on Maxs shoulders and
together they formed Freak the Mighty Freak is into robotics and history and he tries to get
Max interested. He tells max that he is going to have a secret operation to become half robot.
Max lives with his grandparents because when he was young his father killed his mother. His
father was in prison but was let out on parole. Over Christmas he kidnaps Max and Freak helps
the police find him. Soon after that Freak is admitted to the hospital after a seizure. He tells Max
that he is going to have the robot operation but when Max comes back the next day Freak is
dead. Max cannot cope for an entire year until he picks up the blank book that Freak gave him
and writes their story. This is a bittersweet story that can help children understand the themes of
friendship and loss.

Freckle Juice by Judy Blume

Grade Level Equivalent:3.1
Interest Level:2-5
Andrew wants freckles like is Nicky. He sits behind Nicky in class and counts his freckles. One
day he decides to ask Nicky how he got freckles. He reasons that if he has freckles his mother
wont be able to see the dirt on his neck and he wont have to wash every night. A know-it all
girl named Sharon listens to their conversation. She offers Andrew a special freckle juice if he is
willing to pay for it. Andrew is reluctant at first, but pays fifty cents to get the recipe. He goes
home and makes the concoction. He drinks it quickly and gets a terrible stomach ache and cant
go to school the next day. Andrew comes up with a plan to make Sharon think the freckle juice
worked. He draws blue spots all over his face with a marker. Everyone at school laughs at him
Miss Kelly, Andrews teacher sends him to the library with a freckle removal wipe. Nicky wants
one too but Miss Kelly says no and tells him that she likes him the way he is. Sharon tries to sell
him her freckle removal recipe. This is a fun, silly book that teaches kids to like themselves just
the way they are. The characters are relatable and funny.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

Grade Level Equivalent:5.4
Interest Level: 4-7
This is the story of a mischievous boy named Nick. Nick has always been a troublemaker and a
trickster. When he moves to Mrs. Grangers fifth grade language arts class it seems like his days
of trouble are over. She is a very strict teacher and catches everything. One day she teaches the
class about the dictionary and how to use it. Nick is bored but then he gets an idea when he is
made to do a report on where words come from. Maybe he can come up with his own word! He
decides to call his pen a frindle. Soon everyone is using the word or all sorts of things. Mrs.
Granger forbids the use of the word but that doesnt stop the spread of it. Soon the whole country
is using the word! Nick becomes famous. In the end Nick is very rich and in college. He
becomes friends with Mrs. Granger when he finds that she was behind his idea all along. This is
an interesting story about the power of words. Kids will find the story to be funny and
entertaining.

Hooway For Wodney Wat by Helen Lester

Grade Level Equivalent:3.1
Interest Level:P-2
This is a sweet story about a little rat with a speech impediment who saves his friends from a
bully. Rodney rat could not say his Rs so all the other rodents at school would make fun of
him. He became terribly shy. One day a big rodent named Camilla Capybara joined the school.
She was big, mean and smarter than everyone else. The other students were scared of her.
Rodney is chosen to be the leader for Simon Says. Camilla is sure she will win but she cant
understand Rodneys speech impediment. She does all the wrong things and gets frustrated. In
the end she goes West instead of going for a Rest and they never see her again. Rodney is
the school hero and no one ever teases him again. This is a good story to teach children about
bullying.

Hug Me by Simona Ciraolo

Grade Level Equivalent: 2.0
Interest Level: K-3
Filipe is a little cactus who just wants a hug. Sadly he comes from a prickly family who does not
really like to give hugs. He tries to make friends with a balloon, but ends up putting the balloon
in the hospital. His family is very upset with him so her runs away to find a new family. He is
rejected everywhere he goes. He tries to learn to be happy alone. One day he happens upon a
little rock who is as lonely as he is and the two become best friends and give each other hugs.
This is a sweet story about friendship and being sensitive to others. Children will love the fun
colorful pictures.

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus by Barbara Park

Grade Level Equivalent:2.9
Interest Level: 1-4
Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus is one book in the Junie B. Jones series.
Children will easily relate to this funny little girl and her misadventures.
Junie B. Is excited about school, but not so excited about riding the bus. She thinks it is smelly
and crowded and just awful overall. So after school she hides in a closet and spends the
afternoon exploring the school and getting into trouble. She is soon found out by her parents and
teachers. Her mother helps her feel better about riding the bus by arranging for her to sit with a
girl from her class. This silly story will make children laugh and maybe help them feel better
about new experiences like riding a bus for the first time. These are also good books for first and
second grade students to start reading on their own.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

Grade Level Equivalent: 3.4
Interest Level: K-3
This is a book about love. A baby boy is born and his mother sings I will love you forever. Ill
like you for always as long as your living my baby youll be As the boy grows he becomes
more trouble, flushing things down the toilet, making a mess, saying bad words, making strange
friends, but every night the mother sings the song to him. She loves him no matter what. And
when the boy is a man he takes care of his old mother and sings the same song to her and to his
little baby girl. This is a book about growing up and the bond between a boy and his mother.

100 Days and 99 Nights by Madison Allan

Interest Level: 4-7
This is the story of a little girl named Esme. He daddy is a soldier. Esme and her family
have lived all over the world as her Daddy is stationed with the military. The McCarther family
has traditions like making pancakes on Saturday. They are happy together and Esme feels safe in
her routines. One day her daddy is called overseas for 100 days and 99 nights. Esme tries to be
brave ,but its hard. At her school many children who have parents who are soldiers. Esme must
wait 100 Days and 99 nights until her Dad comes home. This is a touching story that can comfort
children whose parents are serving and education those who dont know what it is like to have a
parent in the military.

Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge by Mem Fox

Grade Level Equivalent:2.5
Interest Level: K-2
This is the story of a little boy named Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge and his friend Nancy
Alison Delacourt Cooper. Wilfrid lived next to a Nursing home and had many friends there, but
his favorite friend was Nancy Alison Delacourt Cooper because she had four names like him. He
called her Nancy. One day Wilfrid heard his parents talking about how bad they felt that Nancy
lost her memory. Wilfrid set out to discover what exactly a memory was. He asked all of his
friends at the nursing home and they all gave him different answers. A memory is something
warm one said. A memory is something that makes you laugh said another. Wilfrid collected
things that represented memories and put them in a basket. He brought them to Nancy and she
shared all of her memories with him as she took the objects out of the basket. This is a sweet
story that can help children understand aging and with it means to be a good friend. The pictures
are unique and the characters are interesting.