Books Beyond Beginners
For Girls Ages 7-9

Fiction

Cleary, Beverly. Ramona's World. Follows the adventures of nine-year-old Ramona at home with big sister Beezus and baby sister Roberta and at school in Mrs. Meacham's class. Fic J & PB/J

Conford, Ellen. Annabel the Actress, starring in camping it up. In the fourth book of her adventures, Annabel auditions for the camp play and cinches the lead role. But Annabel soon learns that the show must go on even when things don't go exactly as rehearsed. Fic J/Younger

Duffey, Betsy. The Gadget War. Kelly Sparks is the gadget whiz of her third-grade class--and already has 43 inventions under her belt to prove it. Then Albert Einstein Jones walks into Kelly's class. Albert's determined to prove who the real gadget whiz is. It's sure to be a mastermind fight to the finish. Fic J

Krensky, Stephen. Louise, Soccer Star? Louise has been practicing, planning and even dreaming about this year's soccer season, the first time she'll be "one of the bigger, faster players". But when, from the very first practice, it becomes clear she won't be an instant star-of-the-season Louise's joyful anticipation turns to frustration -- and crabbiness. Fic J/Younger & PB/J.

Landon, Lucinda. Meg Mackintosh and the mystery at camp creepy. While attending summer camp for the first time, Meg tries to solve the mystery of the camp's legendary ghost. The reader is challenged to interpret each clue before Meg finds the solution. Fic J/Younger & PB/J.

Levinson, Nancy. Clara and the Bookwagon. Clara's dream of enriching her rough life on the family farm is fulfilled when a horse-drawn book wagon visits with the country's first traveling library. JE/Easy Reader

MacLachlan, Patricia. Sarah, Plain and Tall. When their father invites a mail-order bride to come live with them in their prairie home, Caleb and Anna are captivated by their new mother and hope that she will stay. Fic J & PB/J.

Rylant, Cynthia. Summer Party. Nine-year-old cousins Lily, Rosie, and Tess are sad when it is time to leave Aunt Lucy, so they plan a party and get a special surprise to look forward to in the near future. Fic J/Younger & PB/J.

Non-Fiction

Aliki. Ah Music. Surveys the history and components of music, concentrating on Western musical traditions. J 780 Ali.

Cheney, Lynne. A is for Abigail: an almanac of amazing women. Each letter of the alphabet is represented by an important woman in the history of the United States, as well as others in her same field of accomplishment. J 920 Che.

Fritz, Jean. Surprising Myself. Fritz, a well-known author of books for young people, describes her daily life and the way she writes. J B Fritz, Je.

Leedy, Loreen. Look at My Book. Provides ideas and simple directions for writing, illustrating, designing, and binding books. J 808.02 Lee.

McCully, Emily. The Pirate Queen. In 16th-century Ireland, there lived an amazing pirating woman named Grania O'Malley. Now Caldecott Award-winning author/artist McCully brings her fascinating story to life, recounting how she fought Turkish pirates, out-dueled and outwitted every enemy that challenged her, and saved her father from an Englishman's blade. J B

O'Malley, Gr. Tang, Greg. Math-terpieces: the art of problem solving. A series of rhymes about artists and their works introduces counting and grouping numbers, as well as such artistic styles as cubism, pointillism, and surrealism. J 510 Tan.

Prepared by Beth A. Kerrigan,
Coordinator of Children's Services