SBMS Reading List
Compiled by Mrs. Starr, Media Specialist, Sarah Banks Middle School. Updated September, 2009.
Adventure Stories
Banks, Kate. Dillon, Dillon
During the summer Dillon turns ten years old. Dillon learns the story behind his name and develops a relationship that helps him make sense of his life.
Brooks, Bruce. The Wolf Bay Wings series
Like hockey? This series is for you!
Christopher, Matt. Centerfield Ballhawk
The Kid Who Only Hit Homers
If you like fast-paced sports stories, try these and other titles by Matt Christopher.
Cooney, Caroline. Code Orange
While conducting research for a term paper, Mitty finds a 100 year old smallpox scab and fears that he has infected himself and all of New York City.
Diamonds in the Shadow.
When Jared’s family takes in an African refugee family, Jared senses from the first that there is something strange about them
Curtis, Christopher Paul. Bud, Not Buddy;
Elijah of Buxton:
The Watsons go to Birmingham
At times hilarious, at times thoughtful, these three books won Newberry Medals for their portrayals of young African American boys.
Farley, Walter. The Black Stallion series
The Black is big, fast and dangerous…can Alec tame him?
Hiassen, Carl Flush
When his father his jailed for vandalizing a casino boat that is damaging the environment, Noah has to take matters into his own hands.
Hoot
Roy, new to Florida, becomes involved in a complicated and funny plot to save owls from construction.
Korman, Gordan The Zucchini Warriors
Bruno and Boots lead the MacDonald Hall Zucchini Warriors to a football championship
Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet
The River
The saga of Brian, whose life is changed forever when he is on a plane crash in the wilderness.
Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows
The adventures of a boy and his dog… guaranteed to make you cry.
Taylor, Theodore. Lord of the Kill
With his parents in India, 16 year old Ben is in charge of their wild life preserve and tries to cope with murder and kidnapping.
Fantasy Stories
Alexander, Lloyd. The Rope Trick
Motivated by her quest to learn a legendary rope trick, the Princess Lidi and her troupe embark on a journey through Renaissance Italy that intertwines adventure, love and mystery.
Baum, C. S. The Wizard of Oz
Glinda of Oz
Classic fantasy stories about the magical world of Oz.
Billinglsey, Frannie. The Folk Keeper
Corrina’s duty is to keep the “folk”, mischievous little people, from causing trouble at the castle.
Buckley-Archer, Linda. Gideon the Cutpurse.
Peter and Kate fall from present day London into 1763 due to an antigravity machine. The villain Tar Man takes off with the machine and their chances of over getting home!
Cooney, Caroline. Freeze Tag
Remember playing freeze tag? What if you could freeze people permanently?
Cooper, Susan. Victory.
Molly buys an old book that draws her into the life and adventures of a sailor in 1805.
Crossley-Holland, Kevin. The Seeing Stone
In 12th century England, a boy named Arthur tells of his adventures with Merlin and a magical stone.
Funke, Cornelia. The Thief Lord
Orphaned brothers Prospero and Bo, having run away form their cruel aunt and uncle, hide out in Venice, where they fall in with the Thief Lord and a group of street children.
Inkheart.
Meggie has inherited her father’s ability to read characters out of a book—with scary consequences.
Haddix, Margaret Petersen
Among the Hidden and other titles: The exciting Hidden Children series.
Hahn, Mary Downing. Witch Catcher
Jen knows the woman who is dating her dad is not the sweetheart she pretends to be, but she doesn’t expect to be caught up in a plot involving fairies, wizards and murder!
Jacques, Brian. The Redwall series:
The Bellmaker
Marial of Redwall ...and others
A fantasy set in the animal world of Redwall the Abbey, inhabited by fierce mouse warriors.
Korman, Gordon. Schooled.
Capricorn has always been home schooled , and is unprepared for life in middle school.
L’Engle, Madeline. A Wrinkle in Time
Meg learns to travel through time and space using a wrinkle in the universe.
Lewis, C. S. The Narnia Series:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
The Horse and his Boy
Prince Caspian
Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Four children find their way through a wardrobe into a secret world called Narnia.
Lowry, Lois. Gossamer.
A dream giver tries to save a boy from nightmares.
Norton, Mary. The Borrowers
Ever wonder where all those safety pins and paperclips go? Maybe it’s the Borrowers!
Rowling J. R.Harry Potter & the Sorcerer’s Stone
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkhaban
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Everyone knows Harry, the wizard who attends the magical school called Hogwarts, plays Quiddich (like soccer on broomsticks), and has an owl named Hedwig.
Selznik, Brian. The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
The 2008 Caldecott winner, this is a fabulous book told in words and drawings.
Strasser, Todd Help! I’m Trapped in an Alien’s Body
Jake switches bodies with an alien who eats junk food and watches TV all day.
Historical Fiction
Avi. Crispin
Crispin At the edge of the World
The 2003 Newberry winner, this is a story of Asta’s son, a young man on a quest for his name and his life. The sequel follows Asta’s life.
Burnett, Frances Hodgson. The Secret Garden
An orphan girl goes to live with her uncle in the moors of England and discovers a beautiful secret garden.
Conrad, Pam. Prairie Songs
New neighbors on the prairie change Louisa’s life.
Cushman, Catherine. Matilda the Bone
Set in Medieval London, Matilda is apprenticed to a bonesetter (like an early orthopedic doctor) much against her will. The results are guaranteed to amuse!
“Dear America” Series Authors:
Fictionalized “diaries” of young men and women during important times in American history.
Denenberg, Barry Gregory, Kristiana Hansen, Joyce Lasky, Katherine
McKissak, Pat Murphy, Jim Osborne, Mary Pope Rinaldi, Ann
A special favorite is Where Have All the Flowers Gone and The Journal of Patrick Seamus Flaherty, brother/sister diaries of the Vietnam War era, by Ellen White.
DeFelice, Cynthia. Apprenticeship of Lucas Whittaker
Historical fiction with a twist of the supernatural.
Fleischman, Sid. The Whipping Boy
A bratty prince and his whipping boy trade places.
Gilson, Jamie. Stink Alley.
Living in Holland in 1614 with the Puritans is not always easy!
Henry, Marguerite. Justin Morgan had a Horse
Misty of Chincoteague
Love horses? These stories, all based on true events, are a must for you!
Larsen, Kirby. Hattie Big Sky.
Hattie, a 16 year old orphan, homesteads on the Montana prairie in 1918.
Lawrence, Iain. The Wreckers
Shipwrecked after a vicious storm, John discovers a deadly secret in the Cornish town he lands in.
Lenski, Lois. Indian Captive
Based on the true story of Mary Jemison, who was captured by the Seneca Indians at age 12 and chose to remain with them when later rescued.
O’Dell, Scott. The Island of the Blue Dolphins
An eighteenth century Indian girl spends 18 years stranded on a remote island.
Park, Linda Sue. When My Name Was Keoko
The story of the invasion of Korea by Japan, when the Korean people even had to change their names.
Rinaldi, Ann. Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory
Annie becomes involved in the raid on Harper’s Ferry during the Civil War.
Wells, Rosemary. Red Moon at Sharpsburg.
Even though the odds are against her and the Civil War has ruined her home, 13 year old India Moody continues to aspire to be a scientist and attend college.
Mysteries
Abrahams, Peter. Behind the Curtain.
Ingrid is in the middle of several mysteries when she is kidnapped and locked into a car trunk. Will she escape and find the criminals?
Balliat, Blue. Chasing Vermeer.
An art theft, a puzzle, a mystery—all combine to make a really good read!
Bellairs, John The House With a Clock in its Wall
A boy moves in with his magician uncle and discovers a clock that is ticking off the
moments until Doomsday.
Cooney, Caroline. The Face on the Milk Carton
Imagine seeing your own face as a missing child on a milk carton! That’s what happened to Janie.
Creech, Sharon. The Wanderer.
Sophie and her cousin Cody sail across the Atlantic with their uncles. As they sail, a mystery unfolds.
Duncan, Lois. Down a Dark Hall
Why does this boarding school only have four students—each with a special talent???
Nixon, Joan Lowery. Nobody’s There
When Abby gets involved in a community service project helping an elderly woman, she is not prepared to deal with mysteries and murders!
Roberts, Willo Davis. Megan’s Island
Mysterious strangers follow Megan’s family to their lake cottage.
Voigt, Cynthia. The Vandemark Mummy
Althea and Phineas try to track down the thieves who are stealing Egyptian artifacts from the college where their father is head of Egyptian Studies.
Realistic Fiction
Blume, Judy. Double Fudge
Fudge is back, this time obsessed with money!
Byars, Betsy. The Burning Questions of Bingo Brown
The Night Swimmers
A very popular author writes about the problems of middle school in a humorous way.
Carbane,Elisa Lynn. Starting School With an Enemy
Sarah starts off her year at a new school badly be making an enemy of a boy the first day.
Danziger, Paula. The Cat Ate My Gymsuit
Everyone Else’s Parents Said Yes
These funny and realistic stories of middle school will make you laugh and cry—and you might even see yourself in a character.
United Tates of America
This is a great book for incoming 6th graders, as it will introduce them to the joys and trials of middle school.
Danziger, Paula, with Ann Martin
P.S. Longer Letter Later
Snail Mail No More
Two best friends keep in touch in various ways.
DeClements,Barthe. Sixth Grade Can Really Kill You
Helen is afraid she will be stuck in sixth grade forever, until her new teacher helps her through her reading problems.
DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie
Opal has the best summer ever when she adopts a dog named Winn-Dixie!
Clements, Andrew No Talking.
The noisy fifth grade boys challenge the equally noisy fifth grade girls to a no talking contest!
Gauthier, Gail. Happy Kid.
Kyle hates middle school, but his mother thinks a self help book can turn him into a happy kid. As if!
Giff, Patricia Reilly. Pictures of Hollis Woods.
A troublesome 12 year old orphan learns to love an elderly artist.
Haddix, Margaret Petersen. Takeoffs and Landings
If a mother who is a motivational speaker and a fat dorky brother aren’t enough to ruin Lori’s life, now her mother wants them to come on a speaking tour with her.
Henkes, Kevin. Olive’s Ocean
On a summer visit to her grandmother’s ocean cottage, Martha comes to terms with the death of a classmate, her feeling for an older boy, and her desire to be a writer.
