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Volume 13, Number 1 2003/2004   Kathy Foss is Librarian at Camden-Rockport Middle School in Camden, Maine.

Foss Favorites During the last twenty-one years I have had the privilege of having the most terrific job in the world: middle school librarian. Year after year, middle school kids bring to our school library their energy and enthusiasm, interests and talents, likes and dislikes, quirks, personal baggage, and endless questions. I'm one of the lucky adults who has the opportunity to, among other things, introduce these special kids to all sorts of books: books to make them think, books to broaden their horizons and strengthen their reading skills, books to read, remember, and sometimes even love. Here is a sampling of some of the titles that I've found appeal to our unique breed of readers. I hope these books will appeal to your students too. Since middle schoolers vary widely in their reading levels, interests, and maturity, the books reflect that. This is in no way a "balanced list," but a selection of titles that my students enjoy. I've included the reading and grade levels for most. Happy reading!   Among the Hidden by Margaret Peterson Haddix Set in the future, Luke is the illegal third child in his family and must hide from the brutal Population Police. Fast-paced and exciting, this one makes you wonder who to trust, just as Luke wonders. Reading level 4.7. Grades 5-8. 53 pages. Sequels include: Among the Betrayed, Among the Impostors, and Among the Barons.   Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer Technology, magic, trolls, and fairies are part of the cast as an evil and brainy twelve-year-old tries to restore his family's fortune. This one's for the kids who are willing to believe almost anything and who love constant action. Reading level 6.7. Grades 6-8. 277 pages. Sequels include Artemis Fowl: Arctic Incident and Artemis Fowl: Eternity Code.   Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo When ten-year-old Opal adopts her ugly but extremely loveable dog, Winn-Dixie, wonderful things start to happen in the Florida town to which she's just moved. This is a super book for a read aloud, especially if you flavor it with a bit of a Southern accent. Reading level 5.8. Grades 4-6. 182 pages. If you love the flavor of this one, also try The Trouble with Tuck, by Theodore Taylor (dog story) and Hank the Cowdog, by Hank Erickson (a mystery with a real twang to it).   Chasing Redbird by Sharon Creech A thirteen-year-old girl decides to clear an overgrown trail near her family's farm. Her aunt has died, and she is clearing away much more than just brush. I've never met a middle schooler who didn't adore this one, and it leads them directly into reading Ruby Holler and more. If you love good writing, recommend Chasing Redbird. Reading level 5.2. Grades 6-9.   Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo This is a Hatchet gone Pacific. Michael is sailing around the world with his parents when he and his dog, Stella Artois, are washed off the boat and end up on a desert island. Michael thinks he's alone except for the birds, baboons, orangutans, and monkeys already there, but he survives with help from the only other human on the island, an elderly Japanese gentleman named Kensuke who befriends him. The two live a simple life and become close friends. While Michael yearns for his parents and life back in England, Kensuke wishes to remain undisturbed on the island. This book makes you wish it was nonfiction. Reading level 4.3. Grades 4-7. 176 pages.   Hoot by Carl Hiaasen If anyone had told me that this book would fly with middle schoolers, I would have hooted. Just think, it's an environmental adventure featuring endangered burrowing owls in Florida. Yeah, right. In fact, the story has you by the throat by page two as our hero, new in town and trying to avoid being beat up, investigates a barefoot boy he sees from his bus. It's riveting! I recommend this one to kids who want something else like Holes. This is exactly as different and wacky as Holes is, in its own way. Great cover art, too! Grades 5-8. 227 pages.   City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende When fifteen-year-old Alexander's mother becomes seriously ill, the family splits up so she can seek prolonged medical treatment. Alex joins his eccentric and independent journalist grandmother on an expedition to find a large Bigfoot-like beast in the Amazon. This is a true page-turner incorporating the rainforest, supernatural, mystery, and human relations. It's as wild as the jungle and just as exciting. Reading level 6.9. Grades 6-10. 416 pages.   Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen First the charming cover captures your attention, and then the book itself draws you in. Two teens who are neighbors describe their feelings about themselves, each other, and their families. By the end of the book, the situation has turned around completely. This book is a wonderful story of growth and change. Reading level 5.9. Grades 5-8. 212 pages.   Joey Pigza Swallows the Key by Jack Santos If you've ever taught a student with Attention Deficit Disorder, or if you have ADD yourself, you'll love this trio of titles. Joey is a loveable, well-meaning, off the wall kiddo with a wacko dysfunctional family, but he never gives up hope, and we're right there with him all the way. Reading level 5.2. Grades 5-8. 153 pages. Be sure to follow up with sequels: Joey Pigza Loses Control and What Would Joey Do?   Double Fudge by Judy Blume Only Judy Blume can portray the embarrassing moments of youth like this. At twelve, Peter has his younger money-obsessed brother, Fudge, to attract attention… and not in a positive way. Add long-lost cousins Flora and Fauna to further mortify poor Peter, and growing up gracefully is tough! Reading level 6.0. Grades 4-6. 160 pages.   The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket This is the first of nine tongue in cheek novels featuring the orphaned Baudelaire children. The kids are constantly threatened by the evil Count Olaf, who is after their family fortune. To paraphrase what the author says, if you think anything good will happen in these books, think again. However, Lemony Snicket's clever writing, the inviting format of the books, and the classy illustrations have attracted gazillions of fans. The first book has 162 pages and begins "The Series of Unfortunate Events." Stay tuned for the tenth. These stories are also an exceptional tool to improve your students' lexicons, by which I mean vocabularies. Reading level 6.0. Grades 4-7.   Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card Although brilliant, young Ender Wiggin thinks he is playing a high-pressure computer war game, he is in fact saving the Earth. Grades 7-12. 357 pages. There are several sequels and companion titles. This is an enduring favorite!   Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz Here comes James Bond at fourteen! Alex Rider is trained in the martial arts and more (languages, fine arts, etc.) as a boy but thinks nothing is out of the ordinary. However, after his uncle is killed, Alex is recruited (that's putting it mildly) to join the British intelligence agency. Grades 6-9. 192 pages. Sequels to date are Point Blank and Skeleton Key. We're waiting for more.   Sabriel by Garth Nix The fight between good and evil continues, this time involving magic and a seriously strong female main character. Sabriel is on a quest to rescue her father from the Land of the Dead. Grades 6-10. 292 pages. Followed by Lirael and Abhorsen which my students also devoured with enthusiasm.   Drowning Anna by Sue Mayfield Teenage Anna is smart and beautiful, and yet she tries to kill herself and is in a coma. It is amazing that other teens could convince her she was ugly, unpopular, and worthless. This is a strong book about peer pressure and harassment, but it is a very important one for upper middle grade readers. Reading level 4.1. Grades 7-12. 320 pages. For younger readers, another title with a similar theme is The Girls, by Koss.   The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke Venice is the setting for this intriguing tale of two young boys who are orphaned and run away from the awful aunt who wants to adopt only the younger of the two. She hires a bumbling detective to track them down in this city of canals and alleyways. The boys hide out with a group of petty thieves who are protected by the "Thief Lord." The story's conclusion is supernatural and satisfying. Reading level 6.8. Grades 5-7. 345 pages.   Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick Future life is rough for an epileptic teen called Spaz who fights for survival and for saving the printed word. Great food for thought; it's hard to imagine a world without books, but this one is portrayed beautifully. Reading level 6.0. Grades 6-9. 223 pages.   Holes by Louis Sachar This is the book like no other. How many stories feature a kid's correctional camp in the desert where the "inmates" have to dig holes as punishment? Our hero Stanley grows as the mystery unfolds. This book hooks even the most reluctant of readers. Reading level 6.5. Grades 5-8. 233 pages.   Sahara Special by Esme Raji Codel Sahara is repeating fifth grade and yearns to be a writer. Thank heaven for Miss Pointy, Sahara's new teacher, who brings confidence and a whole new outlook to a very tough class. Sahara is one lucky kiddo, and everyone should have a teacher like Miss Pointy sometime in their life. Reading level 4.6. Grades 4-7. 175 pages.   Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson This one is great for fans of Harry Potter! This story has been out for a while but never ceases to entertain. Think kidnapped infant son of royalty, a magical tunnel originating in an abandoned British Underground platform (sound familiar?), and wizards. Reading level 7.5. Grades 4-7. 231 pages.   Summerland by Michael Chabon This lengthy tome is what happens when you combine an elaborate fantasy world, fairies, and baseball. It's riveting. Possibly the worst young player of all time is suddenly needed to help defeat evil and save his father's life. This one is very different and so cool! Reading level 5.8. Grades 5-9. 512 pages.   A Time for Dancing by David Wills Hurwin Some middle schoolers just need sad stories, and this one is especially touching and well-loved by girls at my school. A seventeen-year-old in the story is diagnosed with cancer, and her story is interwoven with that of her best friend. This is a true Kleenex book. Grades 7-10. 257 pages.   Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins At eleven, Gregor is already carrying a heavy burden, taking care of his aged grandmother and his two-year-old sister for the summer while his mother works and his sister goes to camp. His dad has mysteriously disappeared without a trace, and Gregor and his little sister, Boots, do the same, sucked down into a world below the Earth's surface through a strange vent in their NYC apartment house's basement laundry room. Below ground, Gregor finds he is a warrior foretold in an ancient prophecy and must battle with rats, bats, spiders, and humans with translucent skin to save himself, his sister, and his father. Gregor is a true hero who rises to the challenge. This one will appeal to lovers of the Redwall series by Jacques as well as those who liked The Downsiders by Schusterman. Grades 5-8. 311 pages.   Back to Top