Be First in the Universe Spinner, Stephanie. Delacorte, ©2000.  While staying with their hippie grandparents, ten-year-old twins, Tod and Tessa, discover an unusual shop at the nearby mall, where they find a lie-detecting electronic pet, a Do-Right machine, and other alien gadgets which help them foil their nemeses, the evil Gneiss twins.

*The Beastly Arms Jennings, Patrick. Scholastic, ©2001.  Eleven-year-old Nickel, a boy with a great affinity for both animals and photography, moves into an apartment building run by the strange and mysterious Mr. Beastly and discovers a secret about the other tenants.

*The City of Ember DuPrau, Jeanne. Random House, ©2003.  In the year 241, twelve-year-old Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger to run to new places in her decaying but beloved city, perhaps even to glimpse Unknown Regions.

Edwina Victorious Bonners, Susan. Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, ©2002.  Edwina follows in the footsteps of her namesake great-aunt when she begins to write letters to the mayor about community problems and poses as Edwina the elder.

The Elevator Family Evans, Douglas. Dell Yearling, ©2001.  The four members of the Wilson family decide to spend their holiday in one of the elevators at the San Francisco Hotel.

Get Ready for Gabi! A Crazy Mixed-Up Spanglish Day Montes, Marisa. Scholastic, ©2003.  Maritza Gabriela Morales Mercado (Gabi for short) has big problemas. Her worst enemy, Johnny Wiley, is driving her crazy. He makes fun of her name. He picks on her friends. And now Gabi has to spend an entire month working with him on a school project! Gabi is so mad she can't even talk straight. Her English words keep getting jumbled up with her Spanish words. Now she's speaking a crazy mix of both, and no one knows what she's saying! Watch out, world! Gabi esta aqui! (That means: Gabi is here!).

*The Ghost Sitter Griffin, Peni. R. Dutton, ©2001.  Ten-year-old Susie has been waiting for 50 years for her parents and sister to come home, but each new family that lives in her house doesn't notice her, except for the young children. When Charlotte and her family move into the house, she looks forward to summer, but when she baby-sits her little brother, she seems to have help

The Gold-Threaded Dress Marsden, Carolyn. Candlewick, ©2002.  When Oy and her Thai American family move to a new neighborhood, her third-grade classmates tease and exclude her because she is different.

Love, Ruby Lavender Wiles, Deborah. Harcourt, ©2001.   When her quirky grandmother goes to Hawaii for the summer, nine-year-old Ruby learns to survive on her own in Mississippi by writing letters, befriending chickens as well as the new girl in town, and finally coping with her grandfather's death.

Stranger Next Door Kehret, Peg. Dutton, ©2002.  A clever cat's heroism helps two twelve-year-old boys become friends after their families, one of which is in a witness protection program, move to neighboring houses in Hilltop, Washington.

*Surviving the Applewhites Tolan, Stephanie. HarperCollins, ©2002.  Jake, a budding juvenile delinquent, is sent for home schooling to the arty and eccentric Applewhite family's Creative Academy, where he discovers talents and interests he never knew he had.

The Victory Garden Kochenderfer, Lee. Delacorte, ©2002.  Hoping to contribute to the war effort during World War II, eleven-year-old Teresa organizes her friends to care for an ill neighbor's victory garden.

A Week in the Woods Clements, Andrew. Simon & Schuster, ©2002.  The fifth grade's annual camping trip in the woods tests Mark's survival skills and his ability to relate to a teacher who seems out to get him.

*’Crossover’ books- found on the 3-5 list and the 6-8 list.

Happy Reading! J

All students who read at least 3 of the Sunshine State books will be eligible to vote for their favorite in April 2005.  Students who read 10 or 15 of these books AND take the AR tests will be eligible for special prizes and awards.  Ask Mrs Esquen for the details, or visit:

Sunshine State Reading Program official website.

Summaries are from the Orange County Library System & Seminole County Public  Library.

Support  your local  library!