• Sideways Stories From Wayside School by Louis Sachar
    Funny and bizarre collection of short stories about a classroom of strange kids and an even stranger teacher.  Good for some silly laughs.
     
    The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
    Following the life of a china rabbit, the book won the 2006 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award in Fiction category. 
     
     Frindle by Andrew Clements
    5th grader Nick tries to invent a new word.At first he does it just to annoy his teacher, but it soon becomes much, much bigger than just a prank.
     
    Loser by Jerry Spinelli
    This story tells about a boy named Donald Zinkoff who is, well....different. He's slow, clumsy, socially awkward, and just plain weird. But he has a great heart. And, even though a lot of the kids at school think he's a loser, they are in for a big surprise one day.  This book has a great story with a lot of heart. 
     
    Ruby Holler by Sharon Creech 
    Sharon Creech is a great author, and this story is full of good messages and a happy ending!
     
    Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DeCamillo
    A wonderful book by one of my favorite children's book authors. (And who doesn't love a good dog book?) 
     
    No Talking by Andrew Clements 
    Great story about a group of talkative 5th graders who decide to have a contest between the boys and girls to see who can say the fewest words over a 48 hour period. You'll have to read the story to find out what their teachers think about their little experiment. 
     
    Matilda by Roald Dahl
    Matilda is a genius with telekinetic powers who outsmarts her nincompoop parents and repugnant headmistress. Read this story to escape into a fantasy world where the hero solves problems with the power of her brain.