40. Houndog True (chapter)

By: Linda Urban
Illustration by: N/A
Genre: Children's chapter book
Subgenre: Children's realistic fiction
Theme: Friendship and families
Primary characters: Mattie Breen
Awards: N/A
Date of Publication: 2011
Publishing Company: Harcourt
Summary: This story is about Mattie Breen who does not quite fit in with her other 5th grade classmates. She hasn't remained in one particular for too long. This is her 5th school. She does not enjoy lunch and recess time. She finds these events awkward and does not know how to act in social situations. She devises a plan to help out her uncle who is the "Director of Custodial Arts" and follows him around with a notebook hoping he will notice that she could be a help for him. This story is about family, friendship, and acceptance. This would be a good independent read for a classroom.

39. The Flint Heart (chapter)

By: John Paterson
Illustration by: John Rocco
Genre: Children's chapter book
Subgenre: Fantasy
Theme: Fairy Tales
Primary characters: Shaman, tailsman, Charles, Unity, Billy
Awards: N/A
Date of Publication: 2011
Publishing Company: Candlewick press
Summary: It is about a flint heart that changes whoever possesses it into an evil person. It begins telling about how the flint heart was made. As the years pass the stone is buried in a town in England for over 5,000 years. Pixies, fairies, trolls, dwarfs, all are after this stone. With many twists and turns this book will grab a hold of a child's attention. The story is a fantasy story that could capture a child's imagination. A book like this should be on a teacher's bookshelf.

38. Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (chapter)

By: Barbara Park
Illustration by: Denise Brunkus
Genre: Children's chapter book
Subgenre: Realistic Fiction
Theme: Family
Primary characters: Junie B. Jones
Awards: N/A
Date of Publication: 1993
Publishing Company: Random House
Summary: Juni B. Jones in a kindergartener realizes that her new baby brother is the center of attention. She is in kindergarten and her two best friends really want to see him. She is funny and a great children's chapter book. The class would enjoy this series of Juni B. Jones from all ages.

37. Diary of a Wimpy Kid (chapter)

By: Jeff Kinney
Illustration by: Jeff Kinney
Genre: Children's chapter book
Subgenre: Realistic fiction
Theme: Friendship
Primary characters: Greg Heffley, Rowley Jefferson
Awards: N/A
Date of Publication: Amulet Publishers
Publishing Company: 2007
Summary: This story is about the trials and tribulations that Greg goes through during middle school. The story opens up where he complains about walking around with a journal that says "diary" on the front. He thinks that he goes to school with a bunch of morons. He wants to grow up and be famous one day. Greg and his friend Rowley experience Halloween together and many other struggles. They get into fights and their friendship is at stake. This book is about middle school and friendship. This is an entertaining book that can capture a students attention. This would be a great independent read.

36. The Tale of Despereaux (Chapter)

By: Kate DiCamillo
Illustration by: Timothy B. Ering
Genre: Children's Chapter book
Subgenre: Fantasy novel
Theme: Adventure
Primary characters: Despereaux, Roscuro, Miggery Sow
Awards: Newbery Medal
Date of Publication: 2003
Publishing Company: Candlewick Press
Summary: This book is about a mouse names Despereaux who wants to save a human princess. The book is told from each of the characters point of view through out the book. There are four main parts of the book. The first part was about the mouse that was born in a castle. He is not like every other mouse. He does not scurry or act like every mouse. This is when he falls in love with the princess. He is reported and put into jail. Tho book goes on to the mouse wanting to save the princess he is in love with. This is a great book and would be good for children to read independently.

35. Hoot (Chapter) [Newbery Award]

By: Carl Hiaasen
Illustration by: N/A
Genre: Children's chapter book
Subgenre: Children's realistic fiction
Theme: Conservation and bullying
Primary characters: Roy, Beatrice, Mullet Fingers
Awards: Newbery Award
Date of Publication: 2002
Publishing Company: Knopf
Summary: This story takes place in Coconut Cove, Florida. Roy has two friends that want to stop the construction of a pancake house. Where the pancake house is being built is where burrowing owls live and made homes. This book goes through bullying stages and is about friendship and acceptance. Great story that can be a class effort. It teaches about bullying and animal conservation which are both really important.

34. Grandfather's Journey (picture) [Caldecott Medal]

By: Allen Say
Illustration by: Allen Say
Genre: Children's picture book
Subgenre: Nonfiction book
Theme: Home
Primary characters: Man from Japan
Awards: Caldecott Medal
Date of Publication: 1993
Publishing Company: Houghton Mifflin
Summary: There is a man from Japan who moves to California. He loves the Sierra mountains. Later he realizes that he misses home so he moves back to Japan and marries his high school sweet heart. He moves back to California to raise their daughter. The man remembers his childhood in Japan and wishes to take his family back to Japan. He is happy to see old friends and moves to a city nearby for his daughter. She marries and has a son.The son is the narrator of the story. The man wishes he could go back to California one more time. He longs to see the Sierra Mountains one more time. But he never gets the chance due to World War II. So the grandson, the narrator, travels like his grandfather and learns the love his grandfather had for both homes. This is a great story about the importance of a home. But this story allows you to see that you can have more than one home, which many children do these days. This would be great for the library in a classroom.