Let Your Imagination Fly! Books for 9 and 10-year-olds

An annotated booklist compiled by the children's librarians at the San Francisco Public Library, August 2000. The books listed are a sampling of the titles available. Ask your Children’s Librarian for further suggestions, and tell us which are your favorites.

Other Worlds

• Tuck Everlasting. Babbitt, Natalie.
  Farrar, 1975. (jF Babb).
  Is the ability to live forever a blessing or curse? Ten-year-old Winnie must answer this question for herself.
• Coraline. Gaiman, Neil.
  HarperCollins, 2002. (jF Gaim)
  Bored in her new flat, a girl goes through a door into a creepy world that mirrors her own.
• Three Terrible Trins. King-Smith, Dick; Illus. by Mark Teague.
  Crown, 1994. (jF King).
  To avenge their father's death, three mouse brothers wage a campaign of terror against two house cats.
• The Doll People. Martin, Ann M. and Laura Godwin, Illus. by Brian Selznick
  Hyperion, 2000. (jF Mart)
  A young porcelain doll ventures out of the Dollhouse to find her aunt, missing for 45 years.
• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Rowling, J. K.
  Arthur A. Levine Books, 1998. (jF RowL).
  When an orphaned boy accepts an invitation to attend a school for witches and wizards, his life changes dramatically.
• Knights of the Kitchen Table. Scieszka, Jon; Illus. by Lane Smith.
  Viking, 1991. (jF Scie).
  The familiar Time Warp Trio travels back to King Arthur's court and encounters a knight, a giant, and a dragon.
• Stinker from Space. Service, Pamela F.
  Scribner, 1988. (jF Serv).
  An alien crashes into Earth, takes over the body of a skunk, and wonders how to get home.

Historical Fiction

• Bud, Not Buddy. Curtis, Christopher Paul.
  Delacorte, 1999. (jF Curt).
  Guided by his own "Rules and Things for Having a Funner Life" a 10-year-old boy sets out to find the father he's never known.
• The Ballad of Lucy Whipple. Cushman, Karen.
  Clarion, 1996. (jF Cush).
  It takes time for a young New Englander to feel at home in a rough-and-tumble California gold mining town.
• Morning Girl. Dorris, Michael.
  Hyperion, 1992. (jF Dorr).
  A 12-year-old girl and her brother describe daily life on their Bahamian island right before Columbus lands in 1492.
• Baseball Saved Us. Mochizuki, Ken; Illus. by Dom Lee.
  Lee & Low, 1993. (jF Moch).
  For Japanese Americans, imprisoned behind barbed-wire in internment camps, baseball is an escape from boredom.
• The Kite Fighters. Park, Linda Sue
  Clarion, 2000. (jF Park)
  Sibling rivalry and friendship are themes in this story set in Korea in 1473.
• The Gold Cadillac. Taylor, Mildred D.
  Dial, 1987. (jF TayL).
  Lois and Wilma are thrilled with the car their father brings home, but when the family drives it into the South, their feelings change.

Just Like Me

• The School Story. Clements, Andrew.
  Simon & Schuster, 2001. (jF CLem)
  A girl gets her own novel published without letting her mother, a children’s book editor, in on the project.
• Salsa Stories. Delacre, Lulu.
  Scholastic, 2000. (jF DeLa).
  Young Carmen Teresa writes in her new diary after hearing seven authentic stories, all set in Latin America and each with a reference to food. Recipes included.
• A Year with Butch and Spike. Gauthier, Gail.
  Putnam, 1998. (jF Gaut).
  An ace student is seated between class cut-ups who gradually spread their influence.
• Any Small Goodness. Johnston, Tony; Illus. by Raúl Colón.
  Blue Sky, 2001. (jF John)
  A Mexican boy tells about his new life in a Los Angeles barrio in this upbeat novel.
• The View from Saturday. Konigsburg, E. L.
  Atheneum, 1996. (jF Koni).
  Four gifted kids come together on Mrs. Olinsky's 6th grade Academic Bowl team in a comic and complex novel.
• The Agony of Alice. Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds.
  Atheneum, 1985. (jF NayL).
  An 11-year-old girl in an all-male household seeks a beautiful role model.
• Bridge to Terabithia. Paterson, Katherine.
  Crowell, 1977. (jF Pate).
  Jess and Leslie develop a special friendship at their secret hideaway in this sad and satisfying story.
• Later, Gator. Yep, Laurence.
  Hyperion, 1995. (jF Yep)
  In San Francisco’s Chinatown, an older brother gives his younger brother a baby alligagor with surprising results.

To Tell The Truth: Non-Fiction

• Walter Wicks Optical Tricks. Wick, Walter.
  Scholastic, 1998. (j152.148 Wick).
  Crisp color photos present puzzling challenges for the mind and eye.
• Destination: Space. Simon, Seymour.
  HarperCollins, 2002. (j520 Simo)
  A prolific science writher provides up-to-date information about how the Hubble Space Telescope is giving us first-ever images of the cosmos.
• Volcano: The Eruption and Healing of Mount St. Helens. Lauber, Patricia.
  Bradbury, 1986. (j551.2 Laub).
  This fascinating photo essay shows how apparent destruction in fact fosters natural regeneration.
• Creeps from the Deep. Taylor, Leighton; Photos. by Norbert Wu.
  Chronicle, 1997. (j578.777 TayL).
  A close-up look at the strange creatures that have adapted to extreme pressure and darkness in the ocean depths.
• The Chimpanzees I Love: Saving Their World and Ours. Goodall, Jane.
  Byron Preiss/Scholastic, 2001. (j599.885 Good)
  The author affectionately recalls her years spent studying shimpanzees in Tanzania.
• Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women. Thimmesh, Catherine. Illus. by Melissa Sweet.
  Houghton Mifflin, 2000. (j609.2273 Thim)
  Windshield wipers, paper bags, chocolate cookies, Gio-sheet paper and more!
• It's Perfectly Normal. Harris, Robie H.; Illus. by Michael Emberley.
  Candlewick, 1994. (j613.907 Harr).
  This frank and funny discussion of human sexuality examines puberty, sexual feelings, reproduction, and other topics.
• Linnea's Windowsill Garden. Bjork, Christina; Illus. by Lena Anderson.
  R & S, 1988. (j635 Bjor).
  Linnea tells how to grow a great indoor garden.
• It's Disgusting-and We Ate It! Solheim, James; Illus. by Eric Brace.
  Simon & Schuster, 1998. (j641.3 SoLh).
  A collection of acts, statistics, poems, and stories about unusual foods and eating habits, both contemporary and historical.
• Honest Pretzels. Katzen, Mollie.
  Tricycle, 1999. (j641.5123 Katz).
  This practical guide takes you through 65 culinary adventures, all vegetarian.
• Talking with Artists: Volume Three. Cummings, Pat.
  Clarion, 1999. (j741.6 TaLk).
  Thirteen children's book illustrators talk about what they love to do - namely, create art!
• The Young Basketball Player. Mullin, Chris.
  DK, 1995. (j796.323 MuLL).
  This magazine-glossy, "how-to" book covers history, fundamentals, rules, and equipment. It's part of the Superguides series that features boys and girls in action.
• The Top of the World: Climbing Mount Everest. Jenkins, Steve.
  Houghton Mifflin, 1999. (j796.522 Jenk).
  Rise to new heights of awareness in this absorbing, illustrated introduction to the lore and lure of the world's tallest mountain.

Rhythms, Rhymes and Wordplay

• Palindromania! Agee, Jon.
  Farrar, 2002. (j793.734 Agee)
  It’s fun to play with words that read the same forward and backward, especially since the book is done in comic-strip style. One of a series.
• A Poke in the I. Selected by Paul B. Janeczko; Illus. by Chris Raschka
  Candlewick, 2001. (j811.008 Poke)
  Words take shape in the thirty concrete poems that make up this stylish collection.
• Celebrate America in Poetry and Art. Edited by Nora Panzer.
  Hyperion, 1994. (j811.008 CeLe)
  Paintings, sculpture, drawings, and photographs from the Smithsonian’s Museum of American Art are teamed with poems to create a vivid and diverse picture of our country.
• Knock at a Star. compiled by X. J. and Dorothy M. Kennedy.
  Little, Brown, 1999. (j811.008 Knoc).
  This anthology introduces and explains poetry in its many forms and moods.
• Falling Up. Silverstein, Shel.
  HarperCollins, 1996. (j811.54 SiLv).
  A third collection of trademark, laugh-out-loud poems and drawings.
• Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart. Williams, Vera B.
  Greenwillow, 2001. (j811.54 WiLL)
  Free vese poems and soft pastel pictures show how two sisters comfort each other while their father serves time in jail and their mother works long hours.
• Good Luck Gold and Other Poems. Wong, Janet S.
  McElderry, 1994. (j811.54 Wong).
  Over forty varied poems give insights into the childhood experiences of an Asian American girl.

Once Upon A Time: Folktales

• A Ring of Tricksters. Hamilton, Virginia; Illus. by Barry Moser.
  Blue Sky, 1997. (j398.2 Hami).
  Eleven lively tales from Africa, the West Indies, and the African American experience feature Anansi, Brer Rabbit, Wren, Turtle, and Lizard.
• Mysterious Tales of Japan. Martin, Rafe; Illus. by Tatsuro Kiuchi.
  Putnam, 1996. (j398.2 Myst).
  An entertaining collection of ten tales, each quietly eerie.
• Five Heavenly Emperors. Zhang, Song Nan.
  Tundra, 1994. (j398.2095 Zhan).
  Myths from China about the gods, the beginnings of the world, and the first people.
• Ashley Bryan's African Tales, Uh-Huh. Bryan, Ashley.
  Atheneum, 1998. (j398.2096 Brya).
  Fourteen traditional tales from many African peoples fill this visually distinguished volume.
• Fiesta Femenina: Celebrating Women in Mexican Folktale. Gerson, Mary-Joan; Illus. by Maya Christina Gonzalez.
  Barefoot, 2001. (j398.2097)
  Eight remarkable women are featured in tales representing a variety of Mexico’s rich cultural traditions.
• Aesop's Fables. Pinkney, Jerry.
  SeaStar 2000. (j398.2452)
  Lush watercolor paintings enhance and extended sixty one tried-and-true tales and their timeless lessons.

Biography

• The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins. Kerley, Barbara; Illus. by Brian Selznick.
  Scholastic, 2001. (j567.9022)
  How a lifelong love of animals led a Victorian artist to build the first life-size models of dinosaurs.
• Anastasia's Album. Brewster, Hugh.
  Madison Press/Hyperion, 1996. (jB Anas)
  The youngest daughter of Russia’s last tsar is the spirited subject of this family album-style biography.
• Through My Eyes. Bridges, Ruby.
  Scholastic, 1999. (jB Brid).
  This autobiography recalls the story of one 6-year-old girl who integrated her neighborhood's all-white school.
• I've got an Idea!: The Story of Frederick McKinley Jones. Swanson, Gloria Borseth.
  Runestone, 1994. (jB Jone).
  A self-taught African American inventor held over sixty patents including some for x-ray technology and mobile refrigeration.
• It Came from Ohio: My Life as a Writer. Stine, R. L.
  Scholastic, 1997. (jB Stin).
  From the author who brings you thrills, chills, and "goosebumps" - his life story, with photographs.

It Was A Dark And Stormy Night: Mysterious Happenings

• Coffin on a Case. Bunting, Eve.
  HarperCollins, 1992. (jF Bunt).
  The son of a private investigator, 12-year-old Henry helps a beautiful teenager find her kidnapped mother.
• Tarot Says Beware. Byars, Betsy.
  Viking, 1995. (jF Byar).
  Girl detective Herculeah Jones discovers a body - that of fortune teller Madame Rosa.
• I Was a Rat! Pullman, Philip; Illus. by Kevin Hawkes.
  Knopf, 2000. (jf PuLL).
  What is the mystery behind a ratty little boy who has caused such an uproar in London of old?
• Spyhole Secrets. Snyder, Zilpha Keatly.
  Delacorte, 2001. (jF Snyd).
  Bitter and bereaved, Hallie spies on the family next door after her father's death.
• Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Slippery Salamander. Sobol, Donald J.
  Delacorte, 1999. (jF Sobo)
  The ever-popular boy detective solves ten more cases and invites readers to figure out the solutions which can be found at the back of the book.