The Year of Miss Agnes
Kirkpatrick Hill Aladdin c2000 113 pages
Grades 2-5
A story about a one room school house set in Alaska in 1948. Miss Agnes is different from all the other teachers who didn't last in the rural setting. Ten year-old Frederick tells the story of the new teacher and how she changed their lives.

The Seven Woders of Sassafras Springs
Betty G. Birney Alladdin c2005 210 pages
Grades 3-5
Eben MaAllister sets our to find seven wonders in his home town after reading about the Seven Wonders of the World. A good read aloud about the wonders he discovers in his own home town .

The Road from Home
David Kherdian Beech TreePaperbacks c1979 238 pages
Setting: Turkey, Syria, and Greece
Time; 1907-1924
Biography of the author's mother telling the story of the Turkish government attempt to destory the Armenian population.
Newbery honor, ALA notable book

Save Queen of Sheba
Louise Moeri Puffin Books c1981 116 pages

A good story to supplement lessons on westward expansion .David and his sister, Queen Sheba,
survive an Indian attack while on the trail west. The story tells of his efforts to save himself and his sister and find their parents.

Pocket Poems

selected by Bobbi Katz Dutton Children's Books c2004
Good selection of short poems...use for A Poem in Your Pocket Day

The Frog Wore Red Suspenders
Jack Prelutsky Greenwillow Books, c2002

A great book of poetry. The Little Brown Toad is my grandkids favorite....we love reciting it together.
Use for atlas lessons since most poems are about a location in the USA

Dear Levi Letters from the Overland Trail
Elvira Woodruff Yearling,c1994 119 pages.

Set in 1851, Austin tells about his wagon train trip across the Overland Trail to his brother Levi through letters he writes. Austin is going west to take over their father's claim . Not all the stories have happy endings. Enough adventure for to keep 2nd -4th graders interested. A good historical fiction read to accompany westward expansion lessons.