The Carrollton Public Library recognizes the fact that every child learns to read and develops as a reader at his/her own unique pace. The following list is very general, and is in no way designed to be prescriptive.

Atwater, Richard. Mr. Popper's penguins.
The unexpected delivery of a large crate containing a Antarctic penguin changes the life and fortunes of Mr. Popper, a house painter obsesses by dreams of the Polar regions.

Avi. Poppy.
Poppy the deer mouse urges her family to move next to a field of corn big enough to feed them all forever, but Mr. Ocax, a terrifying owl, has other ideas.

Banks, Lynne Reid. The Indian in the cupboard.
A nine-year-old boy receives a plastic Indian, a cupboard, and a little key for his birthday and finds himself involved in adventure when the Indian comes to life in the cupboard and befriends him.

Blume, Judy. Tales of a fourth grade nothing.
Peter finds his demanding two-year-old brother an ever increasing problem.

Cameron, Eleanor. The wonderful flight to the Mushroom Planet.
A mystery man inspires two boys to build a space ship which takes them to the planet of Basidium to help the Mushroom people.

Cleary, Beverly. Dear Mr. Henshaw.
In his letters to his favorite author, ten-year-old Leigh reveals his problems in coping with his parents' divorce, being the new boy in school, and generally finding his own place in the world.

Clements, Andrew. Frindle.
When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control.

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Dahl, Roald. James and the giant peach.
Wonderful adventures abound after James escapes from his fearful aunts by rolling away inside a giant peach.

DiCamillo, Kate. Because of Winn-Dixie.
Ten-year-old India Opal Buloni describes her first summer in the town of Naomi, Florida, and all the good things that happen to her because of her big ugly dog Winn-Dixie.

Draanen, Wendelin Van. Sammy Keyes and the hotel thief.
Thirteen-year-old Sammy's penchant for speaking her mind gets her in trouble when she involves herself in the investigation of a robbery at the "seedy" hotel across the street from the seniors' building where she is living with her grandmother.

Erickson, John. The original adventures of Hank the cowdog.
Hank the Cowdog, Head of Ranch Security, is framed for the murder of a chicken and becomes an outlaw with the coyotes. First book in the Hank the cowdog series.

Fitzhugh, Louise. Harriet the spy.
When Harriet Welsch grows up, she wants to be an author. So, she figures it is a good way to practice for her future vocation by writing down everything she sees on her spy route in a secret notebook.

Gardiner, John Reynolds. Stone fox.
Little Willie hopes to pay the back taxes on his grandfather's farm with the purse from a dog sled race he enters.

Howe, Deborah and James. Bunnicula: A rabbit tale of mystery.
Though scoffed at by Harold the dog, Chester the cat tries to warn his human family that their foundling baby bunny must be a vampire.

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King-Smith, Dick. Babe the gallant pig.
A piglet arrives at the farmyard, is adopted by an old sheep dog, and discovers a special secret to success.

Kraft, Elizabeth. Lenny and Mel.
Twin brothers observe a year's worth of holidays in some very unusual ways.

Lowry, Lois. Number the stars.
In 1943, during the German occupation of Denmark, ten-year-old Annemarie learns how to be brave and courageous when she helps shelter her Jewish friend from the Nazis.

Manes, Stephen. Be a perfect person in just three days!
Milo, tired of problems with his sister, parents, and classmates, finds a book in the library, which promises to make him perfect in just three days.

Paterson, Katherine. The king's equal.
In order to wear the crown of the kingdom, an arrogant young prince must find an equal in his bride. Instead, he finds someone far better than he.

Peck, Robert Newton. Soup.
The adventures and misadventures of two boys growing up in a small Vermont town.

Rowling, J. K. Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone.
Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches. First book in the Harry Potter series.

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Sachar, Louis. Sideways stories from Wayside School.
Humorous episodes from the classroom on the thirtieth floor of Wayside School, which was accidentally built sideways with one classroom on each story. More Wayside School books.

Selden, George. The cricket in Times Square.
The adventures of a country cricket who unintentionally arrives in New York and is befriended by Tucker Mouse and Harry Cat.

Selznick, Brian. The Houdini box.
A chance encounter with Harry Houdini leaves a small boy in possession of a mysterious box--one that might hold the secrets to the greatest magic tricks ever performed.

Taylor, Theodore. The trouble with Tuck.
A young girl trains her blind dog to follow and trust a seeing-eye companion dog.

White, E. B. Charlotte's web.
Wilbur, the pig, is desolate when he discovers that he is destined to be the farmer's Christmas dinner until his spider friend, Charlotte, decides to help him.

Wilder, Laura Ingalls. Little house in the big woods.
A year in the life of two young girls growing up on the Wisconsin frontier.

Also try these series:
Sobol, Donald. Encyclopedia Brown.
Encyclopedia Brown, a ten year-old detective, uses his intelligence to help solve puzzling crimes.

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