Page Turner Bibliography
Great Read-Alouds
By: Lori Z. Ragsdale
From Volume 2, Issue 5
As you know if you’ve read this issue’s Wire, much can be gained from reading aloud to your afterschool group—even the older children. The stories can span the interests of your entire group and can give them the shared experience of getting swept up in the reading. The following fiction books can be read a chapter or two at a time, preferably each day. Your kids are sure to look forward to the next installments!
7- to 12-year-olds
I Know Who Likes You
by Doug Cooney
This light, funny novel finds Ernie as the manager of the Little League team, facing an awesome problem: The star tomboy-player, Swimming Pool, is being forced to go to charm school! The characters from Cooney’s <i>The Beloved Dearly</i> are back in this adventure, which keeps everyone wondering about the note Ernie finds that says, "I know who likes you."
Kira-Kira
by Cynthia Kidohata
This book is the 2005 Newbery Medal winner. Ten-year-old Katie uses the Japanese word <i>kira-kira</i>, which means <i>glittering</i>, to describe everything she likes. Listeners will raptly follow Katie’s account of her family’s struggles with illness, poverty, and prejudice against Japanese Americans in rural Georgia during the 1950s.
Peter and the Starcatchers
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
This story is a prequel to Peter Pan, but you might read it after the classic story on which it is based. Short chapters and non-stop action make this a great book for read-aloud time. Peter, the orphan boys, and Peter’s friend Molly—along with other familiar characters, such as the infamous crocodile—set the stage for Barrie's novel.
Peter Pan
by J. M. Barrie
Your kids are likely to be familiar with the Disney version of Peter Pan, but the original is different enough to keep them enthralled. Barrie’s love for pirates, adventure, and magical events comes through in this wonderful story about Peter, Wendy, and all the other characters children have loved for generations.
The Teacher’s Funeral: A Comedy in Three Parts
by Richard Peck
Imagine that you are a 15-year-old boy in rural Indiana in 1904. A most exciting thing happens: Your old crotchety teacher dies! Surely they’ll tear down the old schoolhouse and do away with school! But, unfortunately, a new teacher is hired—and to make matters worse, the new teacher is your own older sister! This hilarious novel is sure to delight listeners of all ages.
Zayda Was a Cowboy
by June Levitt Nislick
When Bill’s Zayda, or grandfather, comes to live with the family, Bill thinks having him around will be a real problem. However, as Zayda shares his fascinating tales with Bill and his brother, they learn all about his adventures and dangers in Russia. The boys are surprised to learn that Zayda was even a cowboy!
11 and over
Al Capone Does My Shirts
by Gennifer Choldenko
This 2005 Newbery Honor Book tells the story of Moose Flanigan, who lives with his family in Alcatraz so his father can work in the prison. Kids will love hearing about the lives of the children whose parents worked in the prison, as well as the references to the famous prisoner Al Capone.
Chinese Cinderella and the Secret Dragon Society
by Adeleine Yen Mah
When Chinese Cinderella is thrown out of her home by her cruel stepmother, she joins the Secret Dragon Society and becomes involved in espionage, adventure, and martial arts. This great story, set in Shanghai in the 1940s, depicts a youngster who overcomes hardships to triumph in the end. You might read it after a lesson or discussion about China, Chinese New Year, or holidays around the world, so listeners will have some background about China to help them understand the book's setting.
Fever 1793
by Laura Halse Anderson
This historical novel accurately portrays the events and atmosphere of the yellow fever epidemic that killed over 5,000 people in Philadelphia in 1793. Sixteen-year-old Mattie’s life is changed when the fever affects her family, forcing her to flee her home during the epidemic.
How I Live Now
by Meg Rosoff
This winner of the Michael L. Printz Award for young adult literature is for the older kids in your program. At some time in the not-too-distant future, 15-year-old Daisy is sent from her home in Manhattan to live in London with her deceased mother's family. When war breaks out, Daisy is forced to separate from the new family and home she has grown to love.
The Fire-Eaters
by David Almond
In 1962, Bobby encounters odd Mr. McNulty in Newcastle, England. McNulty, a veteran of World War II, is a fascinating street performer who performs "death-defying" feats such as sword swallowing and fire-eating. McNulty provides a diversion in Bobby’s difficult life, which is troubled with his father’s health problems and a cruel schoolmaster.
The Old Willis Place: A Ghost Story
by Mary Downing Hahn
This is a spooky, mysterious story about a brother and sister who befriend the daughter of the new caretaker of the apparently haunted house where Georgie and Diana live. Kids will identify with these memorable characters and their quest for friendship.
The Secret History of the Pink Carnation
by Lauren Willig
This adventurous spy story will keep older kids enthralled as Eloise Kelly, a modern-day researcher, tries to uncover the identity of the elusive spy, the Pink Carnation, who is supposed to have saved England from Napoleon’s invasion. Some have questioned the book’s historical accuracy, so be sure to remind your listeners that this story is fiction, not fact.
