Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
by Roald Dahl
Youth Fiction-Dahl

Poverty stricken Charlie Bucket desperately wants to win a golden ticket so he can win a chance to visit Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Five lucky children who find a golden ticket in their chocolate bars will win the chance to visit Wonka’s delicious factory and visit with the reclusive and exciting Willy Wonka. Follow the adventures of Charlie Bucket and four other children: Mike Teavee, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, and Augustus Gloop in this magical adventure.

James and the Giant Peach
by Roald Dahl
Youth Fiction-Dahl

James is an orphan living with his evil aunts, Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. One day he is given magical crystals, and when he plants them a huge peach grows. James decides to climb into the peach and roll away from his unfortunate life. Once he escapes, James has many interesting and hilarious adventures with various characters such as: Grasshopper, Earthworm, Miss Spider, and Centipede.

Trumpet of the Swan
by E.B. White
Youth Fiction-White

Louis is a swan who has many adventures with a boy named Sam. Sam teaches Louis how to read and write, and Louis is able to speak with a trumpet stolen from a music store. Louis eventually earns the love of a beautiful swan—Serena.

Charlotte’s Web
by E.B. White
Youth Fiction-White

A classic children’s book about Wilbur the pig who is a sweet yet frightened soul. Wilbur makes best friends with Charlotte, the spider that lives in his barn. Charlotte is wise, nurturing, and caring. She helps Wilbur to mature and protects him from potential harm. Wilbur and Charlotte’s friendship is simple, pure, and very special. Readers of all ages have long enjoyed their adventures.

Little House in the Big Woods
by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Youth Fiction-Wilder

This is the first book in the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder series. It is a fun and exciting read for the whole family as it follows the adventures of Laura, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their parents as they experience all the aspects of pioneer life in the Midwest during the late 1800s. Readers will learn about meat curing, sugaring for maple syrup, and the basic chores done daily by pioneer families. The story is rich with family solidarity and comfort especially when Pa Ingalls plays his delightful fiddle.

Black Beauty
by Anna Sewell
Youth Fiction-Sewell

Black Beauty tells the story of a beautiful horse that experiences many ups and downs throughout his life. Readers will get to follow Black Beauty from his birth to his adulthood and will witness his different experiences with kind masters and more cruel ones. This story will acquaint readers with 19th century Victorian England, the beauty of majestic animals, and how important it is to treat animals with respect and care.

Misty of Chincoteague
by Marguerite Henry
Youth Fiction-Henry

Two children desire to own a wild horse. They try everything to capture a glorified Chincoteague pony and experience many adventures along the way. This is an interesting read for any horse lovers in the family.

Beezus and Ramona
by Beverly Cleary
Youth Fiction-Cleary

Beatrice Quimby, aka Beezus, is a fun 9 year old girl who likes to do typical 9 year old things. The problem is her little sister, 4 year old Ramona, gets in the way of a lot of Beezus’ fun. Being the older child, it is Beezus’ duty to watch over her little sister even when Ramona is being a pest which is much of the time! Beezus deals with varying emotions about her baby sister from extreme dislike to protective love which will be relatable to many children with siblings.

Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing
by Judy Blume
Youth Fiction-Blume

Peter Hatcher is a 9 year old boy with a precocious 3 year old brother named Fudge. Fudge is quite a handful, and it is often up to Peter to deal with him. Follow the adventures of the Hatcher boys and the rest of their family in this hilarious sibling themed book set in New York City!

Tuck Everlasting
by Natalie Babbitt
Youth Fiction-Babbitt

Young Winnie Foster meets the Tuck family who has discovered the fountain of youth. This means they will live forever. Along the way, Winnie experiences different adventures and questions life and death and the value of living forever.

Half Magic
by Edward Eager
Youth Fiction-Eager

Four children discover a magical coin that allows them to make half-wishes. Thus, what they ask for only half comes true so the children have to use their wit and logic to make sense of their desires in this hilarious and fun adventure story that readers of all ages should enjoy.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
by Jeanne Birdsall
Youth Fiction-Birdsall

Follow the adventures of the four very different Penderwick sisters: 12 year old Rosalind, 11 year old Sky, 10 year old Jane, and 4 year old Batty as they spend an eventful summer in the Berkshire Mountains with their calm and loving father and their loyal dog, Hound. Along the way they meet the stuffy Mrs. Tifton and her son Jeffrey. Mrs. Tifton wants her son to go to military school even though he is a talented pianist. Eventually, Rosalind develops a crush on this older teen and adventures ensue for all of the girls during this fateful summer. Throughout this endearing story, the girls grow and learn important lessons while experiencing fun and exciting adventures.

Peter and the Starcatchers
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Youth Fiction-Barry

An orphan named Peter travels aboard the ship Never Land to work for King Zarboff the Third. Soon he meets a charming young girl named Molly. Molly is a Starcatcher apprentice and is guarding the magical stardust from pirates and other evildoers. This stardust has helped many achieve magical powers; however, if “starstuff” gets into the wrong hands evil can occur. Thus, Peter and Molly are determined to protect this magical stardust and have many adventures along the way.

Thief of Always
by Clive Barker
Youth Fiction-Barker

Harvey Swick is a 10 year old boy who decides to enter the menacing Mr. Hood’s Holiday House because he is promised a fun magical time by Mr. Hood. However, Harvey soon learns that this “magical” place is not as joyful of a place as he thought. Filled with fantasy, magic, and sinister beings, this book is sure to excite readers of all ages!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
by J.K. Rowling
Youth Fiction-Rowling
Teen Fiction-Rowling

Harry Potter is an 11 year old orphan living with his ungrateful aunt and uncle who view him as a nobody. However, in the world of wizardry, Harry is someone special who has survived an attempt on his life by the evil Lord Voldemort. When Harry attends the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry his life takes an interesting and unforgettable turn!

The Secret Garden
by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Youth Fiction-Burnett

Young orphan Mary Lennox is sent to live with her reclusive uncle and sickly cousin Colin in the Yorkshire Moors of England. While there she discovers a magical secret garden that has the ability to bring joy, health, and happiness to everyone.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
by CS. Lewis
Youth Fiction-Lewis

Four English children visit the magical world of Narnia when they enter an old wardrobe closet. They battle evil and experience many adventures together as they encounter witches, princes, and heroes.

Lassie Come-Home
by Eric Knight
Youth Fiction-Knight

Lassie is a beautiful collie and a true friend to young Joe. Set during the Great Depression, Joe’s family has struggles and have to sell Lassie, but that doesn’t stop this tenacious dog from trying to find her way home!

The Cricket in Times Square
by George Selden
Youth Fiction-Selden

This is the story of three best friends: Chester the Cricket, Harry the Cat, and Tucker the Mouse. They live near an old newsstand in the Times Square subway station. Harry and Tucker are New Yorkers through and through, but Chester is a country cricket who accidentally arrives in New York from Connecticut after a long ride in a picnic basket. Chester enjoys his new friends which include Mario Bellini, the son of the poor owners of the newsstand, but he also longs for his home of open spaces and clean air. Chester has a beautiful voice and pure magic occurs when he sings!

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
by L. Frank Baum
Youth Fiction-Baum

Dorothy, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion share a one of a kind adventure and learn many life lessons as they travel along the yellow brick road to Emerald City where they encounter the evil witch and the famous Wizard of Oz!

Alice in Wonderland
by Lewis Carroll
Youth Fiction-Carroll

When Alice chases a rabbit she falls down a hole into magical Wonderland. While there she meets amazing characters such as the Queen and the King, the Lachrymose Mock Turtle, the Cheshire Cat, and the Hatter. Alice and her new friends experience a fantastical adventure unlike any other!

Heidi
by Johanna Spyri
Youth Fiction-Spyri

Heidi is a young orphan sent to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps. He is a grumpy old man, but Heidi’s love helps to heal him. Heidi’s spirit helps to change many people as she has adventures in the Alps and the city of Frankfurt!

Honus & Me: A Baseball Card Adventure
by Dan Gutman
Youth Fiction-Gutman

Young Joe Stoshack loves baseball so much even though he’s not very good at playing the game. Joe’s world changes forever when he finds a valuable 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card. Suddenly, Joe gets to meet this legendary baseball hero as he travels back in time!

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
by Avi
Youth Fiction-Avi

Charlotte Doyle’s journal of her nautical adventure as a 13 year-old schoolgirl traveling from England back to America in the 1830s is the fascinating topic of this novel. Her trip is highly eventful as she is accused of murder and treated unfairly by the unsavory crew. Being the only girl on this high seas voyage helps strengthen Charlotte’s character!

The Good Dog
by Avi
Youth Fiction-Avi

McKinley is the family pet of Jack in a Colorado mountain town. McKinley enjoys his life as the family pet and as the leader of the dogs in the area. However, when a local wolf named Lupin tries to entice McKinley to join his pack of wolves confusion and chaos occurs.

Dogsong: A Novel
by Gary Paulsen
Youth Fiction-Paulsen

Irritated by the trappings of modern life Russel Susskit, a young Eskimo boy, decides to take a 1400 mile journey through tundra, ice, and snow with a team of dogs. Along the way he learns a lot about himself and finds his own “song.”

Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson
Youth Fiction-Paterson

Jess Aarons has practiced all summer long to be the fastest runner. However, on the first day of school, he is beaten in a race by a new girl named Leslie Burke. Despite this disastrous start, these two opposite fifth-graders become best friends who find refuge in their make believe world of Terabithia in the woods. In Terabithia, Jess and Leslie rule as king and queen and don’t have to deal with everyday reality. This is a story of great imagination, caring, love, sadness, and most importantly, human courage.

Bambi
by Felix Salten
Youth Fiction-Salten

Bambi the deer has a happy carefree life filled with a loving family and friends in the beautiful forest. Then man appears and causes chaos for his family and even himself. Bambi somehow triumphs over this darkness!

The Great Brain
by John D. Fitzgerald
Youth Fiction-Fitzgerald

Young Tom Fitzgerald, also known as the Great Brain, is the most intelligent con man of the Midwest in the early 1900s, and he is only ten years old! Read all about his adventures with his brother and friends in this hilarious novel.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH
by Robert C. O’Brien
Youth Fiction-O’Brien

Mrs. Frisby is a widowed mouse with a sick child. She comes into contact with highly intelligent rats, the rats of NIMH, who help her find a solution to her problem. She in turn helps them to build their own utopian world. This novel is a Newbery Medal Winner and is sure to excite readers of all ages!

The Borrowers
by Mary Norton
Youth Fiction-Norton

The Clock family: Pod, Homily, and Arrietty, are a miniature family that live underneath the floorboards of an English country house. These miniature people use human scraps to create their own treasures. For instance, stamps become paintings. The Clock family is happy in their own little world until one day a young boy sees Arrietty. What kind of adventures will ensue now? Read the novel which is a Carnegie Medal winner, and a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award book to find out the answer to this question and more!

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle
by Betty MacDonald
Youth Fiction-MacDonald

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is a fun lady who lives in a house that is upside down. The freshly baked smell of cookies is always permeating the rooms of her home. She was once married to a pirate. More importantly, she loves children—good and bad! Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle has the answer to all children’s problems in a fun and positive way, and this book is sure to bring joy and laughter into the lives of all those who read it!