After Tupac and D Foster

Two best friends become three, "Three the hard way", when D Foster comes into the lives of 11 year-old Neeka and her best friend. D has an independence that the two girls envy, and opens up their world with her experiences and her search for her Big Purpose. Within the short span of 1994-1996, the girls grow into teenagers, mourn the shootings and death of Tupac Shakur, and start thinking about what their own Big Purpose in life is. After Tupac and D Foster is by the Newbery Honor winner Jacqueline Woodson (Feathers).

The Little Wooden Doll

If you like The Velveteen Rabbit, The Best Loved Doll, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, or The Littles, you might like The Little Wooden Doll, too! An old, wooden doll living up in the attic of an old house is sad because she doesn't have a child to love her. Then one day, some children move into the old house. Will they find the doll? Will she be loved? Read how the spiders, moths, sparrows, and mice helped the wooden doll. This story was written a long time ago, but it is still a sweet story even today.

Heat by Mike Lupica

Heat is a story about 12 year-old Michael Arroyo, who pitches for a South Bronx little league baseball team. He and his brother, Carlos, are recently orphaned after their father dies, and they lie about living alone to avoid being split up by social services. Michael has such a powerful throw that the coach on an opposing team thinks Michael is lying about his age, which would disqualify him to play, and ruin his chances to become a major league player. As Michael and his brother try to get Michael's birth certificate from Cuba, their secret gets harder to hide, and their lives get even more
complicated.

Another 4th-Grade Favorite

An anonymous fourth-grader from Bingham Farms says:

I like the book Sixth Grade Secrets.

Miss Laurie says: This book is by Louis Sachar, who also wrote one of my favorites: Holes.

Captain Underpants, Anyone?

4th-Grader Talon says:

Captain Underpants and the Perilous Plot of Professor Poopypants was great.

A 4th-Grade Fan of Lightning Thief

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan is a fun filled quest about Percy, Annabeth, and Grover defeating monsters and finding out who stole Zeus's master bolt.

Another 4th-Grade Favorite

My favorite book is Chu Ju's House. I love how she moved to different places over and over again.

Miss Laurie's note: Chu Ju's House is by Gloria Whelan, who lives in Michigan! It was a Birmingham Battle Book for this year.