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Gentle Reads

This booklist was contributed by Appleton Public Library Children's Services Staff, 2/08 

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Babe: the Gallant Pig by Dick King-Smith(1983)A piglet destined for eventual butchering arrives at the farmyard, is adopted by an old sheep dog, and discovers a special secret to success.

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White(1952)When he discovers that he is destined to be someone's dinner, Wilbur the pig is desolate until his spider friend Charlotte decides to help him.

The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden(1960)The adventures of a country cricket who unintentionally arrives in New York and is befriended by Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine(1997)In this novel based on the story of Cinderella, Ella struggles against the childhood curse that forces her to obey any order given to her.

Ellen Tebbits by Beverly Cleary(1951)The part of third grade Ellen Tebbits likes most is having Austine Allen for her best friend.

Emily of Deep Valley by Maud Hart Lovelace

Although she longs to go to college like the rest of her classmates, orphaned Emily Webster tries to reconcile herself to staying behind in Deep Valley and, except for the pleasure of keeping house for her beloved grandfather, facing what she is convinced will be a dreary and uninteresting year.

Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary(1961)Emily decides that what the town of Pitchfork needs is a library, and comes up with a plan to make it happen.

Frindle by Andrew Clements(1996)When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control.

From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg(1967)Having run away with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelve-year-old Claudia strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed person and a heroine to herself.

Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates by Mary Mapes Dodge

A Dutch brother and sister work toward two goals--finding the doctor who can restore their father's memory and winning the competition for the silver skates.

Homer Price by Robert McCloskey(1943)Six episodes in the life of Homer Price including one in which he and his pet skunk capture four bandits and another about a donut machine on the rampage.

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes(1972)In winning a medal she is no longer there to receive, a tight-lipped little Polish girl teaches her classmates a lesson.

The Incredible Journey by Sheila Every Burnford(1996)A Siamese cat, an old bull terrier, and a young Labrador retriever travel together 250 miles through the Canadian wilderness to find their family.

Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling

How the whale got his throat -- How the camel got his hump --How the rhinoceros got his skin -- How the leopard got his spots -- The elephant's child -- The sing-song of old man kangaroo -- The beginning of the armadilloes -- How the first letter was written -- How the alphabet was made -- The crab that played with the sea -- The cat that walked by himself -- The butterfly that stamped

Lotta on Troublemaker Street by Astrid Lindgren(2002)Angry because everyone at home is so mean, five-year-old Lotta takes her favorite toy and goes to live in a neighbor's attic.

Miracles on Maple Hill by Virginia Sorensen(1957)After her father returns from the war moody and tired, Marly's family decides to move from the city to Maple Hill Farm in the Pennsylvania countryside where they share many adventures which help restore their spirits and their bond with each other.

Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary(1967)The adventures of a nine-year-old twin brother and sister who, despite constant bickering, support each other loyally at home and at school.

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard Atwater(1938)The unexpected delivery of a large crate containing an Antarctic penguin changes the life and fortunes of Mr. Popper, a house painter obsessed by dreams of the Polar regions.

Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary(1990)Maggie resists learning cursive writing in the third grade, until she discovers that knowing how to read and write cursive promises to open up an entirely new world of knowledge for her.

The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel) by Ellen Raskin(1971)The disappearance of her husband is only the first of the mysteries Mrs. Carillon must solve.

The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye

At her christening, a princess is given the gift of "ordinariness" by a fairy, and the consequences of that eventually take her to a nearby palace where, as the fourteenth assistant kitchen maid, she meets just the prince for her.

Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie

The adventures of the three Darling children in Never-Never Land with Peter Pan, the boy who would not grow up.

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

A journey through a land where Milo learns the importance of words and numbers provides a cure for his boredom.

Plain Girl by Virginia Sorensen(1983)Despite her father's objections, a young Amish girl secretly looks forward to attending public school where she makes a best friend and gains a new perspective on her family's way of life.

Pollyanna by Eleanor Porter(1994)When orphaned, eleven-year-old Pollyanna comes to live with austere and wealthy Aunt Polly, her philosophy of gladness brings happiness to her aunt and other unhappy members of the community.

The Pushcart War by Jean Merrill(1964)The outbreak of a war between truck drivers and pushcart peddlers brings the mounting problems of traffic to the attention of both the city of New York and the world.

Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson(1972)New folks are coming to live in the Big House. The animals of Rabbbit Hill wonder if they will plant a garden and thus be good providers.

Ribsy by Beverly Cleary(1964)Separated from his owner, Henry Huggins, in a shopping center parking lot, an ordinary city dog begins a string of bewildering adventures.

The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbitt(1969)The Prime Minister is compiling a dictionary and when no one at court can agree on the meaning of delicious, the King sends his twelve-year-old messenger to poll the country.

Stuart Little by E. B. White(1945)The adventures of the debonair mouse, Stuart Little, as he sets out in the world to seek out his dearest friend, a little bird who stayed a few days in his family's garden.

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo(2003)The adventures of Desperaux Tilling, a small mouse of unusual talents, the princess that he loves, the servant girl who longs to be a princess, and a devious rat determined to bring them all to ruin.

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin(1978)The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance.

Winona's Pony Cart by Maud Hart Lovelace(1953)

First Book in a Series

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery(1935)Anne, an eleven-year-old orphan, is sent by mistake to live with a lonely, middle-aged brother and sister on a Prince Edward Island farm and proceeds to make an indelible impression on everyone around her.

B is for Betsy by Carolyn Haywood(1939)Betsy experiences an interesting first year in school and looks forward to summer vacation at her grandfather's farm.

A Bear Called Paddington by Michael Bond(1986)A very small bear found by Mr. and Mrs. Brown at Paddington station becomes one of the family.

Betsy-Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace(1940)After Tacy Kelly moves into the house across the street from Betsy Ray, the five-year-olds become inseparable friends.

The Borrowers by Mary Norton(1953)Miniature people who live in an old country house by borrowing things from the humans are forced to emigrate from their home under the clock.

The Fairy's Mistake by Gail Carson Levine(1999)In this humorous retelling of a Perrault tale, the fairy Ethelinda rewards one twin sister for good behavior and punishes the other for bad, only to discover that her punishment is more pleasing than her reward.

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew by Margaret Sidney

In New England in the late nineteenth-century, a fatherless family, happy in spite of its impoverished condition, is befriended by a very rich gentleman and his young son.

Freddy the Detective by Walter Brooks(1932)Freddy the pig does some detective work in order to solve the mystery of a missing toy train.

The Great Brain by John Dennis Fitzgerald(1967)The exploits of the Great Brain of Adenville, Utah are described by his younger brother, frequently the victim of the Great Brain's schemes for gaining prestige or money.

Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary(1950)When Henry adopts Ribsy, a dog of no particular breed, humorous adventures follow.

Here's a Penny by Carolyn Haywood(2005)Follows the adventures of six-year-old William, an adopted boy nicknamed Penny for his copper-colored hair, as he attends a Halloween party, adopts kittens, and finds an older brother to join his family.

Honus and Me by Dan Gutman(1997)Joey, who loves baseball but is not very good at it, finds a valuable 1909 Honus Wagner card and travels back in time to meet Honus.

In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen by Cynthia Rylant(1998)While staying with their aunt for a year, three nine-year-old cousins keep busy baking and selling cookies, putting on a poetry and singing performance, and trying to encourage a romance between their aunt and one of their former customers.

Little Eddie by Carolyn Haywood(1947)

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder(1932)A year in the life of two young girls growing up on the Wisconsin frontier, as they help their mother with the daily chores, enjoy their father's stories and singing, and share special occasions with relatives and neighbors.

The Littles by John Lawrence Peterson(1967)

Mary Poppins by P. L. Travers(1981)An extraordinary English nanny blows in on the East Wind with her parrot-headed umbrella and magic carpetbag and introduces her charges, Jane and Michael, to some delightful people and experiences.

Misty of Chincoteague by Marguerite Henry(1975)Two youngsters' determination to own a Chincoteague pony is greatly increased when the Phantom and her colt are among those rounded up for the yearly auction.

The Moffats by Eleanor Estes(2001)Relates the adventures and misadventures of the four Moffat children living with their widowed mother in a yellow house on New Dollar Street in the small town of Cranbury, Connecticut.

Mrs Piggle Wiggle by Betty Bard MacDonald(1947)From her upside-down house, the eccentric Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle issues to parents her marvelous cures for such common children's diseases as Won't-Put-Away-Toys-itis, Answerbackism, and Fighter-Quarrelitis.

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren(1977)Escapades of a lucky little girl who lives with a horse and a monkey--but without any parents--at the edge of a Swedish village.

The Raggedy Ann Stories by Johnny Gruelle(1993)Presents a collection of Raggedy Ann stories, including "Raggedy Ann Rescues Fido," and "Raggedy Ann and the Kittens."

The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright(2002)Four New York City siblings decide to pool their resources so that each can do a special thing on the Saturday that is his turn to receive the combined allowance.

Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar(1998)Humorous episodes from the classroom on the thirtieth floor of Wayside School, which was accidentally built sideways with one classroom on each story.

Soup by Robert Newton Peck(1974)The adventures and misadventures of two boys growing up in a small Vermont town.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting(1988)The adventures of a kind-hearted doctor, who is fond of animals and understands their language, as he travels to Africa with some of his favorite pets to cure the monkeys of a terrible sickness.

Gentle Reads

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