Jim Trelease Read-a-Loud Handbook's suggested Short Novels
Cam Jansen and the mystery of the dinosaur bones by Adler, David A.
Summary: A young girl with a photographic memory tries to discover who has been taking some dinosaur bones from a museum.
Wildfire! : the 1871 Peshtigo firestorm by Ball, Jacqueline A.
Summary: Discusses one of the most destructive wildfires in U.S. history through real-life stories.
On my honor by Bauer, Marion Dane
Summary: When his best friend drowns while they are both swimming in a treacherous river that they had promised never to go near, Joel is devastated and terrified at having to tell both sets of parents the terrible consequences of their disobedience.
Shoeshine girl by Bulla, Clyde Robert
Summary: Determined to earn some money, ten-year-old Sarah Ida gets a job at a shoe shine stand and learns a great many things besides shining shoes.
Keeper of the doves by Byars, Betsy Cromer
Summary: In the late 1800s in Kentucky, Amen McBee and her four sisters both fear and torment the reclusive and seemingly sinister Mr. Tominski, but their father continues to provide for his needs.
SOS File by Byars, Betsy Cromer
Summary: The students in Mr. Magro's class submit stories for the SOS File about their biggest emergencies, and then they read them aloud for extra credit.
Julian's glorious summer (Also Stories Julian Tells and Julian, Secret Agent) by Cameron, Ann
Summary: When his best friend, Gloria, receives a new bike, seven-year-old Julian spends the summer avoiding her because of his fear of bikes.
Two times the fun by Cleary, Beverly
Summary: Jimmy and Janet, four-year-old twins, share the adventure of digging a hole to China, finding a worthy recipient for their dog biscuits, shopping for new shoes, and getting real beds to replace their cribs.
Frindle by Clements, Andrew
Summary: When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control.
Jennifer Murdley's toad (all the Magic Shop series) by Coville, Bruce
Summary: When an ordinary looking fifth grader purchases a talking toad, she embarks on a series of extraordinary adventures.
Katie and the Mustang : book one (all the books in this series: Hoofbeats) by Duey, Kathleen
Summary: Orphaned nine-year-old Katie Rose develops a bond with an untamed Mustang on the Stevens' farm where she lives doing chores all day as she dreams of going west to find her uncle.
Hundred dresses by Estes, Eleanor
Summary: In winning a medal she is no longer there to receive, a tight-lipped little Polish girl teaches her classmates a lesson.
Whipping boy by Fleischman, Sid
Summary: A bratty prince and his whipping boy have many adventures when they inadvertently trade places after becoming involved with dangerous outlaws.
My father's dragon (also Dragons of Blueland and Elmer and the Dragon) by Gannett, Ruth Stiles
Summary: A young boy determines to rescue a poor baby dragon who is being used by a group of lazy wild animals to ferry them across the river on Wild Island.
Stone Fox by Gardiner, John Reynolds
Summary: Little Willie hopes to pay the back taxes on his grandfather's farm with the purse from a dog sled race he enters.
Reluctant dragon (Abridged) by Grahame, Kenneth
Summary: In this illustrated, abridged version of the original, a boy who finds a dragon in a cave knows it is harmless, but can he convince the villagers and St. George the dragon killer?
Ever-clever Elisa by Hurwitz, Johanna
Summary: The year Elisa enters the first grade is filled with exciting times at school and special celebrations at home.
Rip-roaring Russell by Hurwitz, Johanna
Summary: Five-year-old Russell goes to nursery school and has various adventures which show he is growing up, but sometimes he wishes he could still stay home like his baby sister.
Water Horse by King-Smith, Dick
Summary: In 1930, on the coast of Scotland, eight-year-old Kirstie finds a large egg which hatches into an unusual sea creature, and as he grows her family must decide what to do with him.
Herbie Jones by Kline, Suzy
Summary: The adventures of Herbie while in the third grade.
Dinosaurs before dark (Magic Tree House series) by Osborne, Mary Pope
Summary: Eight-year-old Jack and his younger sister Annie find a magic tree house, which whisks them back to an ancient time zone where they see live dinosaurs.
Junie B. Jones and the stupid smelly bus (Junie B. Jones series) by Park, Barbara
Summary: In her own words, a young girl describes what she does when she decides not to ride the bus home.
Mick Harte was here by Park, Barbara
Summary: Thirteen-year-old Phoebe recalls her younger brother Mick and his death in a bicycle accident.
Skinnybones by Park, Barbara
Summary: Alex's active sense of humor helps him get along with the school braggart, make the most of his athletic talents, and simply get by in a hectic world.
Soup by Peck, Robert Newton
Summary: A small Vermont town is the setting for this story about the friendship shared by Robert Peck and a troublemaker named Soup.
Littles (Littles series)by Peterson, John Lawrence
Summary: Describes the adventures of the Little family, only six inches tall, as they try to befriend a cat.
When the soldiers were gone by Propp, Vera W.
Summary: After the German occupation of the Netherlands, Benjamin leaves the Christian family with whom he had been living and reunites with his real parents who returned from hiding.
Best Christmas pageant ever by Robinson, Barbara
Summary: The six mean Herdman kids lie, steal, smoke cigars (even the girls) and then become involved in the community Christmas pageant.
Taste of blackberries by Smith, Doris Buchanan
Summary: A young boy recounts his efforts to adjust to the accidental death of his best friend.
Chocolate fever by Smith, Robert Kimmel
Summary: From eating too much chocolate, Henry breaks out in brown bumps that help him foil some hijackers and teach him a valuable lesson about self-indulgence.
Baseball in April and other stories by Soto, Gary
Summary: A collection of eleven short stories focusing on the everyday adventures of Hispanic young people growing up in Fresno, California.
Friendship by Taylor, Mildred D.
Summary: Four children witness a confrontation between an elderly black man and a white storekeeper in rural Mississippi in the 1930's.