Middle Childhood Literature

Collection

Responsibility
Do what you're supposed to do - Persevere: keep on trying! - Do your best - Use self-control - Be self-discipline - Think before you act; consider the consequences - Be accountable for your choices

Shoeshine Girl by Clyde Robert Bulla (Ages 7-10)


Sarah Ida is ten and is sent to live with her aunt for the summer. We first see her feeling angry and out of place. The major focus of the story is her need to have money in her pocket and this causes a great deal of trouble for her. Finally when her aunt won't give her any money she declares that she'll go out and get some; she'll get a job! But who will hire a ten year old? The Shoeshine Man will! And is Sarah Ida really willing to work? Well Sarah Ida really surprises herself about this. This is a warm story about growing up and about the really big payoffs of hard work


Our Sixth-Grade Sugar Babies by Eve Bunting


Vicki and her best friend fear that their sixth grade project, carrying around
five-pound bags of sugar to learn about parental responsibility, will make
them look ridiculous in the eyes of the seventh grade boy they both love.

When the Boys Ran the House by Joan Carris

Jut(12), Marty(10), Nick(7), and Gus(2) actually do run the house while Mom is sick and Dad's in Europe on business. But it's not easy and often it's downright mysterious. How did all those bees get in the kitchen? What is the awful odor in the living room? And why is the cat getting so fat? Running the house is not easy, but it's awfully funny.

 

The Chocolate Touch by Patrick Catling

This book is basically a twist on the story of King Midas and the Golden Touch. In this case, though, it isn't gold that the main character, John Midas, loves, but chocolate. When John receives a "gift" of the ability to turn everything he touches to chocolate, it turns out to be more of a curse than a gift. Having his breakfast bacon and eggs turn into chocolate seems wonderful, but when he gets thirsty and can't get a simple (non-chocolate flavored) drink of water, he begins to understand the need for variety.

Young Joan by Barbara Dana

Here is Joan’s story from the time she was a little girl until she left on her historic mission. At first we see Joan as a peasant girl, living in the village of Domremy, born during the 100 years war, hating the war, tired of running from her home when the enemy comes near; there are her family and friends and there is her abiding love of God. Then, one day, she is weeding in the garden and she hears a voice saying “Joan. Be Good. Go to Church.” From this time on, her life is changed. The visions exhaust her; ordinary life is a relief; but gradually she comes to understand that ordinary life is no longer for her. In this remarkable, moving book, the reader follows Joan on her journey of spiritual growth as the three saints, St Michael, St Margaret, and St Catherine, speak to her and eventually give her a seemingly impossible mission together with the faith to undertake it.

Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges

This is the quintessential knight versus dragon story. The Red Cross Knight is sent by the Queen of the Fairies to fight a dragon that is ravaging a distant land. He is accompanied by a dwarf and a beautiful woman named Una, who is daughter to the king and queen of the land under attack. The dragon proves to be a formidable opponent, and it is only after days of battle, and a little help from the prayers of Una and a bit of magic, that the Red Cross Knight is able to outlast and kill the beast. He earns the thanks of the country, the title of Saint George, and Una as his bride.

Jeremy: The Tale of an Honest Bunny by Karon, Jan; Weidner, Teri L.

Jeremy is a handmade English bunny with honesty sewn into his very being. When he learns that he was made for someone in North Carolina, Jeremy hops right off on an adventure to deliver himself to his new owner. Full of humor, inspiration, and joy, Jeremy, the Tale of an Honest Bunny tells the story of any child who is away from home -- and the miracles found on the way to being safe at last. Acclaimed artist Teri Weidner's detailed watercolor illustrations add to the old-fashioned charm of this book.

Pet Boy By Keith Graves

An obsessive young pet collector suffers a change of heart after an extraterrestrial hunter seizes him and sells him to a giant, three-eyed, purple alien boy. Furious at being kept in a jar, Stanley not only refuses to perform any tricks for his new owner, Joiner, but also escapes as soon as an opportunity presents itself. Just as he's about to be exterminated by the local equivalent of pest control, he is reclaimed by Joiner, who, newly concerned for his pet's well being, transports him back to Earth. Having seen the bars from the inside, Stanley promptly frees his own menagerie, but makes his former pets an offer they can't (or, at least, don't) refuse: regular meals in exchange for their continued company. Graves' verse text displays an airy disregard for consistent rhythms and unforced rhymes, but he stocks his darkly lambent acrylics with a wild assortment of bizarrely hued, rubbery looking creatures.