Photo of Mr. Simons. Click here to get to the Home or Index page. MrSimons.com
About Mr. Simons Academics Students Parents Teachers Mission Communication
MrSimons.com
Education Tip for Parents: Prepare and serve nutritious food for your child. The best kind of food to help children thrive is: as unprocessed as possible, low in sugar and low in fat.
MrSimons.com
Verse of the Day:   “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy.” -- Rom. 15:13
MrSimons.com
MrSimons.com
MrSimons.com July 29, 2010
Home: Academics:
Recommended Reading List
MrSimons.com MrSimons.com MrSimons.com Recommended Reading List
for Middle School Students
MrSimons.com
MrSimons.com
MrSimons.comMrSimons.com
MrSimons.com
MrSimons.com Book laying open MrSimons.com MrSimons.com MrSimons.com

Students need good literature to read! The printable Grade 6 Recommended Reading List contains the elements of good reading and writing, and I recommend these books, many of which are classics, to any student in any school.

As an Amazon.com affiliate, I have listed all of these from our reading list, and some companion videos/DVDs which are available for purchase. These are all excellent resources that will enhance your library and video collection for many years to come.

There are some hardcover editions of the books; these will be listed as such in bold print. Otherwise, books will be in paperback style. There are also some selctions that have a video for purchase. Where noted, I will indicate if I have that video in my personal collection.


Sixth Grade Reading/Video List

Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. 1868.

Little Women is an American classic, adored for Louisa May Alcott's lively and vivid portraits of the endearing March sisters: talented tomboy Jo, pretty Meg, shy Beth, temperamental Amy. Millions have shared in their joys, hardships, and adventures as they grow up in Civil War New England, separated by the war from their father and beloved mother, "Marmee," blossoming from "little women" into adults. Jo searches for her writer's voice and finds unexpected love...Meg prepares for marriage and a family...Beth reaches out to the less fortunate, tragically...and Amy travels to Europe to become a painter. Based on Louisa May Alcott's own Yankee childhood, Little Women is a treasure -- a story whose enduring values of patience, loyalty, and love have kept this extraordinary family close to the hearts of generation after generation of delighted readers.

Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. 1868.

This is the hardcover edition of the story listed above.

  Alcott, Louisa May. Little Women. 1868.

This is the VHS edition of the story listed above. Mr. Simons has this video in his video collection!

This sumptuous 1949 film adaptation of the beloved Louisa May Alcott novel isn't as good as the 1933 Katharine Hepburn version, or even the 1994 remake starring an Oscar-nominated Winona Ryder, but it does offer its own pleasures, especially in seeing an all-star cast put through its paces. Erstwhile tomboy June Allyson stars as Alcott's famed heroine Jo, the budding writer in Civil War New England who pines for adventure, independence, and her own career. With Father off to war, it's up to Jo, practical older sister Meg (Janet Leigh), frail sister Beth (Margaret O'Brien), and vain sister Amy (Elizabeth Taylor) to help Marmee (a saintly Mary Astor) keep the home fires warm while dealing with the rigors of adolescence. It's all poured on with a generous amount of syrup, including lavish sets, hoop skirts, and petticoats, but anyone who's ever read Alcott's book will take comfort in its familiar story line.

The dialogue is clunky but earnest, but you'd have to have a heart of stone not to get caught up in Jo's plight. And rarely do you get to see such stars go at it with such gusto: Allyson and Peter Lawford (as neighbor and rich boy Laurie) are a match made in B-movie heaven, Taylor is spunky and hilarious in an early comic performance, and Leigh does the matronly thing with aplomb. And nobody, but nobody, cries and suffers like Margaret O'Brien! Watch it in the wintertime, with a fire roaring.

  Armstrong, William. Sounder.

Sounder is no beauty. But as a coon dog, this loyal mongrel with his cavernous bark is unmatched. When the African American sharecropper who has raised Sounder from a pup is hauled off to jail for stealing a hog, his family must suffer their humiliation and crushing loss with no recourse.

  Babbitt, Natalie. Tuck Everlasting.

Imagine coming upon a fountain of youth in a forest. To live forever--isn't that everyone's ideal? For the Tuck family, eternal life is a reality, but their reaction to their fate is surprising.

  Beatty, Patricia. Turn Homeward, Hannalee.

Twelve-year-old Hannalee Reed, forced to relocate in Indiana along with other Georgia millworkers during the Civil War, leaves her mother with a promise to return home as soon as the war ends.

  Brink, Carol Ryrie. Caddie Woodlawn. 1935. Newberry Medal.

At age 11, Caddie Woodlawn is the despair of her mother and the pride of her father: a clock-fixing tomboy running wild in the woods of Wisconsin. In 1864, this is a bit much for her Boston-bred mother to bear, but Caddie and her brothers are happy with the status quo.

  Burnett, Frances Hodgson. The Secret Garden.

Mistress Mary is quite contrary until she helps her garden grow. Along the way, she manages to cure her sickly cousin Colin, who is every bit as imperious as she. These two are sullen little peas in a pod, closed up in a gloomy old manor on the Yorkshire moors of England, until a locked-up garden captures their imaginations and puts the blush of a wild rose in their cheeks; "It was the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place any one could imagine. The high walls which shut it in were covered with the leafless stems of roses which were so thick, that they matted together...

Mr. Simons has the video version in his video collection!

  Burnford, Sheila. The Incredible Journey. 1961.

Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time--and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961.

  Optional item available. Burnford, Sheila. The Incredible Journey.

This is the VHS videotape version of the above listed story. Mr. Simons has this video in his video collection!

  Byars, Betsy. The Summer of the Swans.

A compelling story of the longest day in a fourteen-year-old’s life.

  Cleary, Beverly. Dear Mr. Henshaw.

When, in second grade, Leigh writes to an author to tell him how much he "licked" his book, he never suspects that he'll still be writing to him four years later. And he never imagines the kinds of things he'll be writing about:
Dear Mr. Henshaw, I am sorry I was rude in my last letter.

  de Angeli, Marguerite. The Door in the Wall. 1949.

Grades 4-8: This Newberry Medal winning story, set in medieval times, is about a boy who learns his own strength when he saves the castle and discovers there is more than one way to serve his king.

  Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe.

Daniel Defoe relates the tale of an English sailor marooned on a desert island for nearly three decades. An ordinary man struggling to survive in extraordinary circumstances, Robinson Crusoe wrestles with fate and the nature of God. This edition features maps.

  Defoe, Daniel. Robinson Crusoe.

This is the Hardcover edition of the above listed story.

  Dickens, Charles. A Christmas Carol.

This is a Hardcover edition.

A miser learns the true meaning of Christmas when three ghostly visitors review his past and foretell his future.

  Dodge, Mary Mapes. Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates. 1865.

Hans Brinker or The Silver Skates was published in 1865 and received more reviews than any other children's book that year. Today it continues to delight countless readers with its story of a virtuous family who inspires us all to have the courage to pursue our dreams.

  Enright, Elizabeth. Thimble Summer.

One dry summer day early in the twentieth century, 9-year-old Garnet Linden finds a silver thimble near her southwestern Wisconsin home, and amazing things start to happen. The rains finally come, her father finds money to rebuild his decrepit barn, and the list goes on.

  Farley, Walter. The Black Stallion. 1941.

First published in 1941, Walter Farley's best-selling novel for young readers is the triumphant tale of a boy and a wild horse. From Alec Ramsay and the Black's first meeting on an ill-fated ship to their adventures on a desert island and their eventual rescue, this beloved story will hold the rapt attention of readers new and old.

  Field, Rachel. Hitty: Her First Hundred Years.

Following the "life" of a wooden doll may seem like a strangely passive way of learning American history, but it turns out to be a remarkably gripping approach. In the course of her first hundred years, the peddler-carved doll Hitty travels from Boston to India, is abandoned for years in an attic, is shipwrecked in the South Seas, meets President Abe Lincoln, and at one point lives with a snake charmer. Seen through her hand-painted eyes, the 19th-century world is a miraculous and usually wonderful place, with some mysteries never to be fathomed.

  Forbes, Esther. Johnny Tremain.

This story of a tragically injured young silversmith who ends up hip-deep in the American Revolution is inspiring, exciting, and sad. Winner of the prestigious Newberry Award in 1944.

  Gates, Doris. Blue Willow.

A little girl, who wants most of all to have a real home and to go to a regular school, hopes that the valley her family has come to, which so resembles the pattern on her treasured blue willow plate, will be their permanent home.

  George, Jean Craighead. Julie of the Wolves. 1972. Newberry Medal.

Miyax, like many adolescents, is torn. But unlike most, her choices may determine whether she lives or dies. At 13, an orphan, and unhappily married, Miyax runs away from her husband's parents' home, hoping to reach San Francisco and her pen pal. But she becomes lost in the vast Alaskan tundra...

  George, Jean Craighead. My Side of the Mountain.

Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going--all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York.

  Gipson, Fred. Old Yeller. 1956. Newberry Honor Book.

At first, Travis couldn't stand the sight of Old Yeller. The stray dog was ugly, and a thieving rascal, too. But he sure was clever, and a smart dog could be a big help on the wild Texas frontier, especially with Papa away on a long cattle drive up to Abilene. Strong and courageous, Old Yeller proved that he could protect Travis's family from any sort of danger. But can Travis do the same for Old Yeller?

  Gipson, Fred. Old Yeller.

This is the VHS videotape version of the above listed story.

  Gipson, Fred. Old Yeller.

This is the DVD version of the above listed story.

  Gipson, Fred. Savage Sam.

This story tells the thrilling story of a dog named Savage Sam, who is the son of Old Yeller.

  Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows.

Since its beginnings as a series of stories told to Kenneth Grahame's young son, The Wind in the Willows has gone on to become one of the best-loved children's books of all time. The timeless story of Toad, Rat, Mole, and Badger, brought to vivid life by Ernest H. Shepard's illustrations, has delighted readers of all ages for more than eighty years.

  Grahame, Kenneth. The Wind in the Willows.

This is the Hardcover edition of the story listed above.

  Henry, Marguerite. King of the Wind. 1948. Newberry Medal.

The Newberry Medal-winning tale about a stallion, a stable boy, and their globe-spanning adventures.

  Optional item available: Henry, Marguerite. Misty of Chincoteague.

On an island off the coasts of Virginia and Maryland lives a centuries-old band of wild ponies. Among them is the most mysterious of all, Phantom, a rarely seen mare that eludes all efforts to capture her--that is, until a young boy and girl lay eyes on her and determine that they can't live without her. The frenzied roundup that follows on the next "Pony Penning Day" does indeed bring Phantom into their lives, in a way they never would have suspected. Phantom would forever be a creature of the wild. But her gentle, loyal colt Misty is another story altogether.

Mr. Simons has the video version in his video collection!

  Juster, Norton. The Phantom Tollbooth.

"It seems to me that almost everything is a waste of time," Milo laments. "[T]here's nothing for me to do, nowhere I'd care to go, and hardly anything worth seeing." This bored, bored young protagonist who can't see the point to anything is knocked out of his glum humdrum by the sudden and curious appearance of a tollbooth in his bedroom. Since Milo has absolutely nothing better to do, he dusts off his toy car, pays the toll, and drives through. What ensues is a journey of mythic proportions, during which Milo encounters countless odd characters who are anything but dull.

  Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book.

No child should be allowed to grow up without reading The Jungle Book. Published in 1894 and 1895, the stories crackle with as much life and intensity as ever. Rudyard Kipling pours fuel on childhood fantasies with his tales of Mowgli, lost in the jungles of India as a child and adopted into a family of wolves. Mowgli is brought up on a diet of Jungle Law, loyalty, and fresh meat from the kill. Regular adventures with his friends and enemies among the Jungle-People--cobras, panthers, bears, and tigers--hone this man-cub's strength and cleverness and whet every reader's imagination.

  Kipling, Rudyard. The Jungle Book.

This is the Hardcover edition of the book listed above.

  Kjelgaard, Jim. Big Red.

The story of the friendship between a champion Irish setter and a trapper's son.

  Konigsburg, E. L. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. 1967. Newberry Medal.

After reading this book, I guarantee that you will never visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art (or any wonderful, old cavern of a museum) without sneaking into the bathrooms to look for Claudia and her brother Jamie. They're standing on the toilets, still, hiding until the museum closes and their adventure begins. Such is the impact of timeless novels. They never leave us. E. L. Konigsburg won the 1967 Newberry Medal for this tale of how Claudia and her brother run away to the museum in order to teach their parents a lesson. Little do they know that mystery awaits!

  Latham, Jean Lee. Carry On, Mr. Bowditch.

Readers today are still fascinated by "Nat," an eighteenth-century nautical wonder and mathematical wizard. Nathaniel Bowditch grew up in a sailor"s world—Salem in the early days, when tall-masted ships from foreign ports crowded the wharves. But Nat didn"t promise to have the makings of a sailor; he was too physically small. Nat may have been slight of build, but no one guessed that he had the persistence and determination to master sea navigation in the days when men sailed only by "log, lead, and lookout." Nat"s long hours of study and observation, collected in his famous work, The American Practical Navigator (also known as the "Sailors" Bible"), stunned the sailing community and made him a New England hero.

  Lewis, C. S. The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. 1950.

Four English school children find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch who has cursed the land with eternal winter.

  Optional series available: The Chronicles of Narnia Boxed Set.

The Chronicles of Narnia, by C.S. Lewis, is one of the very few sets of books that should be read three times: in childhood, early adulthood, and late in life. In brief, four children travel repeatedly to a world in which they are far more than mere children and everything is far more than it seems...

  London, Jack. The Call of the Wild.

First published in 1903, The Call of the Wild is regarded as Jack London's masterpiece. Based on London's experiences as a gold prospector in the Canadian wilderness and his ideas about nature and the struggle for existence, The Call of the Wild is a tale about unbreakable spirit and the fight for survival in the frozen Alaskan Klondike.

  London, Jack. The Call of the Wild.

This is the Hardcover edition of the story listed above.

  London, Jack. White Fang.

Even as a pup, he is different from his brothers: A large gray cub among a litter of red-haired puppies, with a quicker bite and heavier paw. When he leaves the protection of his snug cave, he and his mother are captured by the fire-making gods -- man-animals who live in teepees, and who determine that the pup is half-dog, half-wolf, and name him White Fang. White Fang finds himself relentlessly tormented by the tribe's domestic dogs, and quickly learns to surpass them in cunning and viciousness. His brutality is encouraged even further when he is sold to a sadistic man who takes advantage of the dog's massive size and tremendous strength to pit him in to-the-death dog fights. White Fang is driven near mad, until a young man comes along who offers him kindness and friendship. But friendship is something White Fang doesn't understand...yet.

  Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. 1989. Newberry Medal.

The evacuation of Jews from Nazi-held Denmark is one of the great untold stories of World War II. On September 29, 1943, word got out in Denmark that Jews were to be detained and then sent to the death camps.

  Martin, Ann M. Kristy's Great Idea. 1986.

Seventh-grader Kristy Thomas organizes her friends into a baby-sitters club. In the course of the operation of the club, Kristy comes to terms with her mother's engagement, Stacey confides to her new friends that she has diabetes, Claudia learns to tolerate and even appreciate her gifted older sister, and Mary Anne makes some compromises with her over-protective father. All of the elements of concern to pre-teen girls (wearing the "in" clothes, keeping friendships stable, coping with family stresses, and trying to grow up) are here, tied to the almost universal experience of baby-sitting. Characters are not drawn with great depth, but the action is on target. A pleasant offering that will find a ready audience.

  Montgomery, L. M. Anne of Green Gables series.

When Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert of Green Gables, Prince Edward Island, send for a boy orphan to help them out at the farm, they are in no way prepared for the error that will change their lives. The mistake takes the shape of Anne Shirley, a redheaded 11-year-old girl who can talk anyone under the table. Fortunately, her sunny nature and quirky imagination quickly win over her reluctant foster parents. Anne's feisty spirit soon draws many friends--and much trouble--her way. Not a day goes by without some melodramatic new episode in the tragicomedy of her life.

Early on, Anne declares her eternal antipathy for Gilbert Blythe, a classmate who commits the ultimate sin of mocking her hair color. Later, she accidentally dyes that same cursed hair green. Another time, in her haste to impress a new neighbor, she bakes a cake with liniment instead of vanilla. Lucy Maud Montgomery's series of books about Anne have remained classics since the early 20th century. Her portrayal of this feminine yet independent spirit has given generations of girls a strong female role model, while offering a taste of another, milder time in history.

This lovely boxed gift collection comprises Anne of Green Gables, Anne of the Island, Anne of Avonlea, Anne of Windy Poplars, Anne's House of Dreams, Anne of Ingleside, Rainbow Valley, and Rilla of Ingleside. (Ages 9 to 12)

Mr. Simons has the video version in his video collection!

  Morey, Walt. Gentle Ben. 1965. Newberry Honor Book.

The Alaskan wilderness is a lonely place for Mark Andersen, especially after the death of his older brother, Jamie. But in time Mark finds someone else to love--Ben, an Alaskan brown bear so huge that no one else dares come near him. Gentle Ben has been a favorite of readers of all ages for 25 years, and is a timeless story of a rare friendship.

  North, Sterling. Rascal.

At 11 years of age, Sterling North found himself the caretaker of a baby raccoon. His long-enjoyed Newberry Honor book (Dutton, 1963) provides the details of a year in the life of a boy and a raccoon. Set in 1918, Sterling's father is often absent and perpetually involved in research for a novel about Fox and Winnebago Indians. Sterling's mother is deceased, and he is often left to his own devices. Rascal therefore enjoys such comforts as sleeping in Sterling's bed and attending the county fair. As Rascal ages, Sterling is aware that the raccoon is having normal springtime urges and is not happy residing in the pen Sterling was forced to construct.

  Norton, Mary. The Borrowers Afloat.

Two stories about a family of tiny people called the Borrowers, in which the family is kidnapped, and the youngest boy is discovered missing.

  O’Brien, Robert C. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh.

There's something very strange about the rats living under the rosebush at the Fitzgibbon farm. But Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with a sick child, is in dire straits and must turn to these exceptional creatures for assistance. Soon she finds herself flying on the back of a crow, slipping sleeping powder into a ferocious cat's dinner dish, and helping 108 brilliant, laboratory-enhanced rats escape to a utopian civilization of their own design, no longer to live "on the edge of somebody else's, like fleas on a dog's back."

  O’Dell, Scott. Island of the Blue Dolphins. 1960. Newberry Medal.

Scott O'Dell won the Newberry Medal for Island of the Blue Dolphins in 1961, and in 1976 the Children's Literature Association named this riveting story one of the 10 best American children's books of the past 200 years. O'Dell was inspired by the real-life story of a 12-year-old American Indian girl, Karana. The author based his book on the life of this remarkable young woman who, during the evacuation of Ghalas-at (an island off the coast of California), jumped ship to stay with her young brother who had been abandoned on the island. He died shortly thereafter, and Karana fended for herself on the island for 18 years.

  Paterson, Katherine. Bridge to Terabithia.

The story starts out simply enough: Jess Aarons wants to be the fastest boy in the fifth grade--he wants it so bad he can taste it. He's been practicing all summer, running in the fields around his farmhouse until he collapses in a sweat. Then a tomboy named Leslie Burke moves into the farmhouse...

  Paulsen, Gary. Hatchet. 1987. Newberry Honor Book.

This Newberry Honor book is a dramatic, heart-stopping story of a boy who, following a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, must learn to survive with only a hatchet and his own wits. Ages 12-up.

  Peretti, Frank. Cooper Kids Adventure Series.

Frank E. Peretti's flair for storytelling shines through every Cooper Kids Adventure. This boxed set contains four separate adventures.

  Porter, Elizabeth. Pollyanna.

Pollyanna's eternal optimism has made her one of the most beloved characters in American literature. First published in 1913, her story spawned the formation of "Glad" clubs all over the country, devoted to playing Pollyanna's famous game. Pollyanna has since sold over one million copies, been translated into several languages, and has become both a Broadway play and a Disney motion picture.

  Rawlings, Marjorie. The Yearling.

An instant bestseller when it was released in 1938, this Pulitzer Prize winner has been read and loved by school-age children across the nation for more than fifty years. In this classic story of the Baxter family and their wild, hard, and satisfying life in remote central Florida, Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings has written one of the great novels of our times. A rich and varied tale -- tender in its understanding of boyhood, crowded with the excitement of the backwoods hunt, with vivid descriptions of the primitive, beautiful hammock country, written with humor and earthy philosophy, The Yearling is a novel for readers of all ages. Its glowing picture of a life refreshingly removed from modern patterns of living is universal in its revelation of simple courageous people and the beliefs they must live by.

  Rawlings, Marjorie. The Yearling.

This is the Hardcover edition of the story listed above.

  Rawlings, Marjorie. The Yearling.

This is the VHS videotape version of the story listed above.

  Rawlings, Marjorie. The Yearling.

This is the DVD version of the story listed above.

  Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows.

Billy, Old Dan and Little Ann -- a Boy and His Two Dogs...

A loving threesome, they ranged the dark hills and river bottoms of Cherokee country. Old Dan had the brawn, Little Ann had the brains -- and Billy had the will to train them to be the finest hunting team in the valley. Glory and victory were coming to them, but sadness waited too. And close by was the strange and wonderful power that's only found. An exciting tale of love and adventure you'll never forget.

  Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows.

This is the VHS videotape version of the above listed story. Mr. Simons has this video in his video collection!

  Rawls, Wilson. Where the Red Fern Grows.

This is the DVD version of the above listed story.

  Reid Banks, Lynne. The Indian in the Cupboard. 1980.

What could be better than a magic cupboard that turns small toys into living creatures? Omri's big brother has no birthday present for him, so he gives Omri an old medicine cabinet he's found. Although their mother supplies a key, the cabinet still doesn't seem like much of a present. But when an exhausted Omri dumps a plastic toy Indian into the cabinet just before falling asleep, the magic begins. Turn the key once and the toy comes alive; turn it a second time and it's an action figure again.

  Robinson, Barbara. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Called one of America's favorite Christmas stories, and now a classic television movie, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever has been a favorite of young readers the world over since 1972. Funny, memorable, and outrageous, it is the story of a family of incorrigible children who discover the Christmas story for the first time and help everyone else rediscover its true meaning.

  Seredy, Kate. The Good Master.

Young Jancsi and his cousin Kate from Budapest race across the Hungarian plains on horseback, attend country fairs and festivals, and experience a dangerous run-in with gypsies, in a author of The White Stag.

  Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty. 1877.

Told by the magnificent black horse himself, this is the dramatic and heartwarming tale of Black Beauty's life-from his idyllic days on a country squire's estate to his harsh fate as a London cab horse.

  Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty. 1877.

This is the Hardcover edition of the above listed story.

  Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty. 1877.

This is the VHS videotape version of the story listed above.

  Sewell, Anna. Black Beauty. 1877.

This is a DVD version of the story listed above.

  Optional Item Available: National Velvet/Black Beauty combination DVD

This is the DVD combination version of the story listed above entitled Black Beauty with another classic movie, National Velvet.

National Velvet, a classic family film made a star of 12-year-old Elizabeth Taylor in the title role as spunky Velvet Brown, a girl who's determined to enter her horse, Pie, in the Grand National Steeplechase. Critic Pauline Kael called it "One of the most likeable movies of all time."

  Sorensen, Virginia. Miracles on Maple Hill.

Marly and her family share many adventures when they move from the city to a farmhouse on Maple Hill.

  Speare, Elizabeth George. The Bronze Bow.

Set in Galilee in the time of Jesus, this is the story of a young Jewish rebel who is won over to the gentle teachings of Jesus.

  Speare, Elizabeth George. The Witch of Blackbird Pond.

Forced to leave her sunny Caribbean home for the bleak Connecticut Colony, Kit Tyler is filled with trepidation. As they sail up the river to Kit's new home, the teasing and moodiness of a young sailor named Nat doesn't help. Still, her unsinkable spirit soon bobs back up. What this spirited teenager doesn't count on, however, is how her aunt and uncle's stern Puritan community will view her. In the colonies of 1687, a girl who swims, wears silk and satin gowns, and talks back to her elders is not only headstrong, she is in grave danger of being regarded as a witch. When Kit befriends an old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, it is more than the ascetics can take: soon Kit is defending her life. Who can she count on as she confronts these angry and suspicious townspeople?

  Speare, Elizabeth George. The Sign of the Beaver. 1983. Newberry Honor Book; Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction.

When his father returns East to collect the rest of the family, 13-year-old Matt is left alone to guard his family's newly built homestead. One day, Matt is brutally stung when he robs a bee tree for honey. He returns to consciousness to discover that his many stings have been treated by an old Native American and his grandson. Matt offers his only book as thanks, but the old man instead asks Matt to teach his grandson Attean to read. Both boys are suspicious, but Attean comes each day for his lesson. In the mornings, Matt tries to entice Attean with tales from Robinson Crusoe, while in the afternoons, Attean teaches Matt about wilderness survival and Native American culture. The boys become friends in spite of themselves, and their inevitable parting is a moving tribute to the ability of shared experience to overcome prejudice.

  Sperry, Armstrong. Call It Courage. 1940. Newberry Medal.

Mafatu's name means "Stout Heart," but his people call him a coward. Ever since the sea took his mother's life and spared his own, he has lived with deep fear. And even though his father is the Great Chief of Hikueru--an island whose seafaring people worship courage--he is terrified, and consequently, he is severely scorned.

By the time he is fifteen years old, Mafatu can bear it no longer. He must conquer his fear alone...even if it means certain death.

This classic tale of a young boy's hidden strength has been a favorite of readers of all ages since its 1940 publication

  St. John, Patricia. Star of Light.

Hamid rubbed the light from his eyes and looked again. He was not dreaming. It was his stepfather! The man watched Kinza as a snake might watch a baby rabbit at play, waiting for the moment to strike. And for one breathless moment Hamid was sure that he would reach out and snatch her away. Set in North Africa, readers will be delighted by yet another of Patricia St. John’s exciting, freshly edited, novels.

  St. John, Patricia. The Tanglewoods' Secret.

"Ruth", my aunt said, "I won't have you grow up as selfish and obstinate ans ill-mannered as you are now. I am going to send you to boarding school". Read about Ruth and the problems she has to have resolved in her situation.

  Sterling, Dorothy. Freedom Train: The Story of Harriet Tubman.

Born into slavery, young Harriet Tubman knew only hard work and hunger. Escape seemed impossible--certainly dangerous. Yet Harriet did escape North, by the secret route called the Underground Railroad. Harriet didn't forget her people. Again and again she risked her life to lead them on the same secret, dangerous journey.

  Stevenson, Robert Lewis. Kidnapped.

Grade 6 and Up: Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson remains one of the classic coming-of-age stories for children and young adults today. After the death of his father, David Balfour sets out to meet his uncle and claim his inheritance. This adventure takes him through the highlands of Scotland where he embarks upon a long journey back from treachery and deceit.

Availability: This title usually ships within 4 to 5 weeks. Please note that special order titles occasionally go out of print, or publishers run out of stock. These hard-to-find titles are not discounted and are subject to an additional charge of $1.99 per book due to the extra cost of ordering them. We will notify you within 2-3 weeks if we have trouble obtaining this title.

  Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. 1882.

Aboard a ship, Jim Hawkings sails towards Treasure Island. The voyage goes well until Jim overhears a frightening conversation. He learns that the one-legged man who signed on as the ship¹s cook is really the famous pirate Long John Silver. And worse ­ he learns that the crew are teaming up with Silver to steal the treasure. Can Jim save the gold and his life?

  Stevenson, Robert Louis. Treasure Island. 1882. Hardcover.

This is the Hardcover edition of the story listed above.

  Tada, Joni Eareckson. Joni.

With more than three million copies in print in over forty languages in the twenty years since its first publication, this award-winning story of Joni Eareckson Tada, a young woman who triumphed over devastating odds, continues to touch lives.

  Taylor, Mildred. Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

In all Mildred D. Taylor's unforgettable novels she recounts "not only the joy of growing up in a large and supportive family, but my own feelings of being faced with segregation and bigotry." Her Newbery Medal-winning Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry tells the story of one African American family, fighting to stay together and strong in the face of brutal racist attacks, illness, poverty, and betrayal in the Deep South of the 1930s.

Nine-year-old Cassie Logan, growing up protected by her loving family, has never had reason to suspect that any white person could consider her inferior or wish her harm. But during the course of one devastating year when her community begins to be ripped apart by angry night riders threatening African Americans, she and her three brothers come to understand why the land they own means so much to their Papa. "Look out there, Cassie girl. All that belongs to you. You ain't never had to live on nobody's place but your own and long as I live and the family survives, you'll never have to. That's important. You may not understand that now but one day you will. Then you'll see."

  Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. 1938.

This four volume, deluxe paperback boxed set contains J.R.R. Tolkien's epic masterworks The Hobbit and the three volumes of The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King) in their definitive text settings complete with maps and cover illustrations by the celebrated artist Alan Lee.

In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins is whisked away from his comfortable, unambitious life in Hobbiton by the wizard Gandalf and a company of dwarves. He finds himself caught up in a plot to raid the treasure hoard of Smaug the Magnificent.

The Lord of the Rings tells of the great and dangerous quest undertaken by Frodo Baggins and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the wizard; the hobbits Merry, Pippin, and Sam; Gimli the dwarf; Legolas the elf; Boromir of Gondor; and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider. J.R.R. Tolkien's three volume masterpiece is at once a classic myth and a modern fairy tale -- a story of high and heroic adventure set in the unforgettable landscape of Middle-Earth

  Tolkien, J. R. R. The Hobbit - Leatherette Collector's Edition. 1938.

The hobbit-hole in question belongs to one Bilbo Baggins, an upstanding member of a "little people, about half our height, and smaller than the bearded dwarves." He is, like most of his kind, well off, well fed, and best pleased when sitting by his own fire with a pipe, a glass of good beer, and a meal to look forward to. Certainly this particular hobbit is the last person one would expect to see set off on a hazardous journey; indeed, when Gandalf the Grey stops by one morning, "looking for someone to share in an adventure," Baggins fervently wishes the wizard elsewhere. No such luck, however; soon 13 fortune-seeking dwarves have arrived on the hobbit's doorstep in search of a burglar, and before he can even grab his hat or an umbrella, Bilbo Baggins is swept out his door and into a dangerous adventure.

  Tolkien, J. R. R. The Lord of the Rings - Leatherette Collector's Edition. 1938.

A one-volume collector's edition boxed and bound in handsome red leatherette with gold, green, and blue foil stamping, two-color text setting, and large format fold-out maps containing the complete texts of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, and six appendices. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion. On his eleventy-first birthday Bilbo disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest -- to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard, Merry, Pippin, and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.

  White, E. B. Charlotte's Web. 1932. Newberry Honor Book.

An affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. A prancing, playful bloke, Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls all those of porcine persuasion. Determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads "Some Pig," convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, E.B. White reminds us to open our eyes to the wonder and miracle often found in the simplest of things.

Mr. Simons has the video version in his video collection!

  Wyss, Johann David. The Swiss Family Robinson. 1813.

The sea has been in a violent rage for many days. As the winds howled and the seas churned and boiled, the ship rolled and heaved in the gigantic waves. The crew and passengers grew more and more terrified. Suddenly--as if from the blow of a mighty fist--the ship broke apart...

All were lost. All but a pastor, his wife, and four sons: the Swiss Family Robinson.

Shipwrecked! Abandoned on a deserted tropical island with little more than a few simple tools--and each other--the family must use its intelligence, courage, ingenuity, and humor to survive. And each day brings yet another adventure...and danger!.

  Wyss, Johann David. The Swiss Family Robinson. 1813.

This is the VHS videotape version of the above listed story. Mr. Simons has the newer video version in his video collection!

  Wyss, Johann David. The Swiss Family Robinson. 1813.

This is the DVD version of the above listed story.

  Yates, Elizabeth. Amos Fortune: Free Man.

Amos Fortune was born the son of an African king. In 1725, when he was 15 years old, he was captured by slave traders, brought to America and sold at auction. For 45 years, Amos worked as a slave and dreamed of freedom. At 60, he began to see those dreams come true.

 

MrSimons.com
MrSimons.com
MrSimons.com
Copyright © 2003-2005   All Rights Reserved Terms of Service  |  Site Map  |  Search this Site MrSimons.com - Mr. Michael E. Simons
MrSimons.com