Fantasy, Science Fiction & Sports

Inkheart
by Cornelia Funke
Grade 4-8

Meggie's father is a book binder.  She loves to read.  Her mother  mysteriously disappeared when she was a small child and her father refuses to read aloud to her since that day.  One night a stranger from her father's past comes to visit and they set out on an unbelievable adventure where she discovers her father's magic.

The Lightning Thief

by Rick Riordan

Grade 4-8

Percy Jackson has a hard time staying out of trouble at school. Trouble seems to find him no matter where he goes especially on school field trips.  When his class takes a trip to the museum he discovers the reason why.  Percy sets out on a quest to save his mother and find something that was stolen.

The City of Ember
by Jeanne DuPrau
Grade 4-8

The city of Ember is a dark place lit only by the electric lights that turn on every day and off every night.  It is an old city and things are breaking down and running out.  The people of Ember believe that they are the only city and the only people.  As the lights start to go out more and more often, the people begin to worry that they will soon go out forever.  What will they do without light?

The People of Sparks
by Jeanne DuPrau
Grade 4-8

The people of Ember have found their way out of the underground city they lived in and into the world.  They are amazed at the sun, the trees and the animals that they have never seen before.  They arrive in the small town of Sparks looking for shelter.  At first the people are welcoming and helpful but they soon grow tired of these strange people. 

Matilda

by Roald Dahl

Grade 3-5

Matilda is a brilliant child with a terrible family.  They blame her for all that goes wrong and do not want her to read and go to school.  When a caring teacher finally stands up for Matilda and helps her to attend school her life begins to change.  Matilda and Ms. Honey help each other to find happiness and magic in their dreary lives.

The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman

Grade 4-8

An infant boy escapes the terrible fate of his family on the night they are killed by crawling out of his crib and into the graveyard.  The ghosts that live there decide to keep him safe and raise him there.  He is named Nobody Owens and spends his days learning the ways of the ghosts.  He is happy here until he learns that the man who killed his family is still looking for him.

Two-Minute Drill

by Mike Lupica

Grade 3-6

Scott Parry has started at a new school and doesn't fit in very well.  He is the smartest kid in his class and usually tries to hide this.  When the school bully starts to pick on him, the most popular kid in school Chris Conlan, comes to his rescue.  Chris convinces Scott to go out for the football team even though Scott is not a great player.  They are both hiding a secret that they don't want anyone to know about.

Hero

by Mike Lupica

Grade 4-6

Zach Harriman's dad is hiding a secret about his job.  When he dies in a plane crash before he gets a chance to tell Zach the secret cannot be revealed.  Zach has a feeling that something about the plane crash is not right.  He begins to investigate his dad's death but finds out more than he imagined possible.