Long Beach Public Library - Fifth Grade Booklist

The following books are recommended as good reading for fifth graders
by the Nassau Library System and the Long Beach Public Library.
An asterisk (*) after the author's name means that this book is part of a series.

ADVENTURE
Bones on Black Spruce Mountain by David Budbill. Dan climbs Black Spruce Mt. to investigate the legend of a runaway orphan.

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George.* Torn between her Eskimo traditions and modern life, Miyax runs away and lives with wolves on the Alaskan tundra.

Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth Speare. While trying to survive alone in the Maine wilderness, Matt befriends an enemy Indian scout.

Snow Treasure by Marie McSwigan. The true story of brave Norwegian children who outwitted Nazi invaders and performed a great service to their country.

Trouble River by Betsy Byars.
12-year-old Dewey Martin's dream raft becomes a means of escaping marauding Indians.

ANIMALS
A Dog on Barkham Street by M.S. Stolz*
Edward has two wishes in the world: to own a dog and to be rid of bully Martin.

Harry Cat's Pet Puppy by George Selden.* Harry Cat who lives with Tucker Mouse takes in a soggy pup but problems arise when the pup grows too big for their drainpipe home.

The Midnight Fox by Betsy Byars. Tom spends the summer with his aunt and uncle on their farm and is terribly bored until he spies a black fox and her cub.

Pets, Vets and Marty Howard by Joan Carris. Marty works after school in a veterinarian's office and discovers that caring for animals can be just as frustrating as it is rewarding.

BIOGRAPHY
Anthony Burns: the Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave by V. Hamilton. The story of the escaped slave who was arrested and whose trial caused a furor between abolitionists and enforcers of the fugitive slave law.

Georgia O'Keeffe: Wideness and Wonder of Her World by Beverly Gherman. Beginning with her early fascination of color and light, this great artist's life is traced through her struggle for recognition in a man's world and her glorious New Mexico years.

My Life with the Chimpanzees by Jane Goodall. The naturalist's life story, illustrated with photographs, including her experiences with an amazing group of wild chimps.

HISTORICAL FICTION
In the Face of Danger by Joan Lowery Nixon.* Due to severe poverty, Megan and her siblings are separated and sent out west during the 1860's.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Danish heroism during the Holocaust is shown through the eyes of a gentile girl.

Shades of Gray by Carolyn Reeder. After the Civil War, homeless Will must move in with his aunt and the uncle he considers a traitor for not taking a stand for either side in the war.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. Set in colonial Connecticut, Kit Tayler becomes friendly with Hannah the "witch" and is herself caught up in a witch-hunt.

MYSTERY
The Amazing Valvano and the Mystery of the Hooded Rat by Mary Robinson. Maria's exciting magic act for the school talent show is in trouble when one of her "tricks" is kidnapped.

Einstein Anderson Shocks His Friends by Seymour Simon.*
Einstein uses his scientific knowledge to solve a variety of problems.

Mystery at Loon Lake by Gilbert B. Cross. Three friends explore an old tunnel, upsetting someone who then attempts to murder them.

The Pet-Sitting Peril by Willo Davis Roberts. A boy pet-sitting in an apartment house becomes suspicious when too many fires occur in the building.

Stage Fright by James Howe.* Sebastian Barth investigates the mysterious occurrences surrounding a famous actress visiting his hometown.

REALISTIC FICTION
Anastasia on Her Own by Lois Lowry.* Her family's newly organized schedule makes 13-year-old Anastasia confident she can run the household while her mother is away.

In Summertime, It's Tuffy by Judie Angell. 11-year-old Tuffy spends a summer at sleep-away camp where she learns to practice voodoo on camp director, Uncle Otto.

Mostly Michael by Robert Kimmel Smith. 11-year-old Michael keeps a diary of his everyday experiences.

Nutty Knows All by Dean Hughes.* 5th-grader Nutty produces another memorable science project when his partner transfers photons of light to Nutty's brain.

The Village by the Sea by Paula Fox. 10-year-old Emma is sent to spend 2 weeks with her aunt and uncle, which she finds painful until she meets a friend and they design a miniature village in the sand.

SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY
Max and Me and the Wild West by Gery Greer and Bob Ruddick*
Steve and Max use their time machine to return to the richest, roughest Old West town.

Quentin Corn by Mary Stoltz. Bored with his life as a pig, Quentin decides to live as a man.

Rewind to Yesterday by Susan Beth Pfeffer.
11-year-old twins Kelly and Scott discover their VCR can be used to go back in time.

A Season of Ponies by Zilphia K. Snyder. Using her father's amulet, Pamela is able to make friends with a pastel pony and escape from the pig woman in the swamp.

SPORTS
Baseball Backstage by George Sullivan. From general manager to clubhouse attendant, everyday activities in running the NY Yankees are discussed.

Thank You, Jackie Robinson by Barbara Cohen. Sammy, a fatherless white boy, shares an enthusiasm for baseball with an elderly black man.

Wild Willie, Wide Receiver by William Gault. As the team fights their way to the Super Bowl, Coach Tulley experiences problems with a new member.

Wilma Rudolph by Tom Biracree. Biography of the woman who overcame polio as a child to become the first female to win 3 gold medals in track and field.

This booklist was prepared by Bonnie Markel, Merrick Public Library.
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