“What are your top ten novels for each grade? Your top ten that have been published recently?” someone asked me this week. Here are my lists. All the books have been published in the twenty-first century. All of them will let you see life from a different perspective. Many will introduce you to outstanding authors and exciting series. Have fun reading!
10 Novels for Grade Six
Bresdorff, Bodil. The Crow-girl. Douglas & McIntyre, 2004. (Denmark, orphans, survival)
Cullen, Sean. Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates. Puffin, 2006. (fantasy, humour, orphans, adventure)
Cumyn, Alan. After Sylvia. Groundwood, 2004. (imagination, love, family life, adventure)
Dowd, Siobhan. The London Eye Mystery. Yearling, 2007. (mystery, England, autism)
Kehret, Peg. Escaping the Giant Wave. Aladdin, 2003. (tsunamis, Oregon, vacations)
Kinney, Jeff. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Last Straw. Amulet Books, 2009. (humor, family life, schools)
Moses, Sheila P. The Baptism. Simon & Schuster, 2007. (African Americans, historical, family life, faith, humor)
Patron, Susan. The Higher Power of Lucky. Atheneum, 2006. (California, abandoned children, family life)
Peck, Robert Newton. On the Wings of Heroes. Penguin, 2007. (World War II, brothers, heroes)
Tilly, Meg. Porcupine. Tundra, 2007. (Canada, Afghanistan, grief, family life)
10 Novels for Grade Seven
Bondoux, Anne-Laure. Killer’s Tears. Delacorte, 2006. (Chile, murder, orphans)
Butcher, Kristin. Chat Room. Orca, 2006. (internet, dating)
Friesen, Gayle. The Isabel Factor. Kids Can Press, 2005. (vacations, friendship, B.C.)
Heneghan, James. Bank Job. Orca, 2009. (Vancouver, foster children, theft)
Horvath, Polly. My One Hundred Adventures. Schwartz and Wade, 2008. (single-parent families, self-reliance, summer)
Korman, Gordon. One False Note. Scholastic, 2008. (mystery, brothers and sisters, Austria, orphans)
Perkins, Lynne. Criss Cross. Harper Collins, 2005. (friendship, dating, summer)
Riordan, Rick. The Demigod Files. Hyperion, 2009. (Greek mythology, fantasy, adventure)
Rose, Malcolm. Final Lap. Kingfisher, 2007. (England, forensic sciences, science fiction, murder)
Walters, Eric. We All Fall Down. Seal, 2006. (September 11, New York City, fathers and sons)
10 Novels for Grade Eight
Budhos, Marina. Ask Me No Questions. Simon Pulse, 2006. (New York, immigrants, Muslims)
Holubitsky, Katherine. Tweaked. Orca, 2008. (drug abuse, brothers, Vancouver)
Jones, V.M. Shooting the Moon. Anderson Press, 2008. (New Zealand, mountaineering)
McClintock, Norah. Back. Orca, 2009. (murder, revenge, dating violence)
Miklowtiz, Gloria D. The Enemy Has a Face. Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2003. (Palestinians, Los Angeles, immigrants, family life)
Reiss, Kathryn. Blackthorn Winter. Harcourt, 2006. (England, mystery, friendship, family life)
Singer, Nicky. Gem X. Holiday House, 2006. (genetic engineering, dating, science fiction)
Spinelli, Jerry. Love, Stargirl. Alfred A. Knopf, 2007. (friendship, letters, moving)
Turnbull, Ann. No Shame, No Fear. Candlewick Press, 2003. (Middle Ages, England, love, faith)
Walters, Eric. Shattered. Puffin, 2008. (post-traumatic stress disorder, Rwanda, Vancouver, homelessness)
Another 10 Novels for Grade Eight
Bell, William. The Blue Helmet. Doubleday, 2006. (Ontario, Croatia, soldiers, post-traumatic stress disorder)
Cassidy, Anne. Looking for JJ. Harcourt, 2004. (England, revenge, murder)
Clarke, Judith. One Whole and Perfect Day. Front Street, 2006. (Australia, family life, love)
Clements, Andrew. Things That Are. Philomel Books, 2008. (science fiction, dating, mystery)
Dowd, Siobhan. Bog Child. Random House, 2008. (Ireland, mystery, family life)
Horvath, Polly. The Corps of the Bare-boned Plane. Groundwood, 2007. (B.C., orphans, eccentrics, cousins)
MacIntrye, R.P. Apart. Groundwood, 2007. (dating, letters, Canada)
Olsen, Sylvia. Yellow Line. Orca, 2005. (First Nations, racism, peer pressure)
Smelcer, John. The Trap. Square Fish, 2006. (Alaska, survival, winter, First Nations)
Werlin, Nancy. The Rules of Survival. Penguin, 2006. (child abuse, brothers and sisters)