Acton Memorial Library
January 2009
Fourth
Grade Booktalks
Please do not place reserves on items that show as AVAILABLE at
Acton. To reserve these items please call the library, 978-929-6655 option 4, and we
will be happy to hold them at the Circulation Desk.
FICTION
The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio by Lloyd Alexander (fantasy/adventure)
Carlo dreams of adventure and one day it finally seems to be within his grasp. He buys an ancient book with a treasure map in the binding. Now he is on his way --but there is always danger in adventure, mystery in magic and salvation in friendship. Carlo finds all this and more.
Emily Upham’s Revenge by Avi (humor/adventure)
Dainty, well-brought-up Emily Upham is intercepted by Seth Marple AKA Deadwood Dick as she leaves the train expecting to meet her uncle, George Upham. She has been sent by her parents to live with her uncle until they recover from their latest round of financial setbacks. Seth and Emily devise a plot to save her father and return to Boston---rob her uncle’s bank. Great Plan!!!
The Palace of Laughter (The Wednesday Tales # 1) (series) by Jon Berkleley (fantasy/adventure)
Miles, an orphan sneaks into a traveling circus and his life changes forever. The tiny angel and the talking tiger becomes his companion on a mysterious journey of discovery.
Well Wished by Franny Billingsley (fantasy)
Everyone in the village gets one wish per lifetime from the magic well but very few people actually make a wish. New to town, Nuria does not understand why they are reluctant until she makes her own wish that leads to unexpected consequences. How do you take back your wish?
The Summer of Riley by Eve Bunting (realistic fiction)
Riley was the perfect dog when William adopted him. But after Riley chased a neighbor’s ancient race horse it was a battle with the town safety laws to keep Riley safe. William and his friend Grace can not let anything stop them saving Riley’s life.
Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech (family life)
Even best friends make mistakes and an apology doesn’t always solve the problem. That’s when it is great to have someone like Granny Torrelli to smooth out the rough spots. Rosie needs her wisdom and the reader may learn something also.
The Tale of The Swamp Rat by Carter Crocker (animal fantasy)
Guided by an ancient alligator, a silent young rat learns to find his own way in the drought-stricken swamp, despite having been orphaned under circumstances that sometimes cause other animals to reject him.
Kenny and the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi (fantasy/adventure)
Kenny’s father claims to have seen “one of them flying things that eats pretty maidens and burns castles to the ground”. Kenny, a well-read young rabbit wants to see this for himself. But appearances can be deceiving and dragons are not all the same.
Wait Till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn (ghost story)
Molly and Michael dislike their spooky new stepsister Heather but realize that they must try to save her when she seems ready to follow a ghost child to her doom.
Piper Reed, Navy Brat by Kimberley Willis Holt (family life)
Piper’s father is a Navy Chief which means the family moves often. The next move is from San Diego to Pensacola. Piper and her 2 sisters will be starting school in the middle of the year so she begins making a list of things she’ll need for a successful transition.
My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath (realistic fiction/family life)
Jane Fielding lives a quiet happy life with her mother and sisters. That’s the problem, she wants some excitement, an adventure and this is the summer she gets what she wants and more.
Julia Gillian (and the art of knowing) by Alison McGhee (realistic fiction)
Julia is very comfortable in her life, she doesn’t want anything to change. But she can’t stop time, she is getting older. She knows a lot about her neighborhood but now she has to find out about herself.
On the Wings of Heroes by Richard Peck (historical fiction)
A boy in Illinois remembers the homefront years of World War II, especially his two heroes--his brother in the Air Force and his father, who fought in the previous war.
The Magic Pretzel (The Werewolf Club#1) by Daniel Pinkwater (humor/adventure)
Normal Gnormal and 3 fellow students band together to search for the cure for a favorite teacher, stuck as a werewolf. The teacher was cursed by his half-brother and only the Magic Pretzel will set him free.
Thumb in the Box by Ken Roberts (realistic fiction/humor)
What could be wrong with a town getting a free fire engine? What about if the town had no roads and no fire hydrants? Well it takes a couple of kids with a good idea and a whole town working together to solve this problem.
Fergus Crane by Paul Stewart (fantasy adventure)
When a long-lost uncle sends you are magical flying box and says you are in danger you take notice. That is just the beginning for Fergus as he faces great danger and strange mysteries to discover the truth about his family’s past.
The First Escape (Doppleganger Chronicles) by G.P. Taylor (adventure)
Sadie and Saskia are mischievous identical twins living at an orphanage, where Erik is their only friend. They are separated when Saskia is adopted by Muzz Elliott, a wealthy woman searching for her long-lost family treasure. While Saskia stumbles into the center of a crime only she can stop, Sadie and Erik embark on a quest to find her.
The Troll King by John Vornholt (fantasy)
Even trolls need a hero. Rollo works to rally his fellow trolls to overthrow the evil sorcerer Stygius Rex. The action is fast paced leaving the reader on the edge of the seat cheering for the citizens of Bonespittle.
Stopping to Home by Lea Wait (historical fiction)
When Abigail’s mother dies the care of her 4-year-old brother falls to her. She works for Widow Case but hopes that her sailor father will return. While waiting the children and the young widow begin to depend on each other becoming a new kind of family.
100 Cupboards by N.D. Wilson (fantasy/adventure)
While visiting relatives Henry York discovers tiny doors in the wall above his bed in his attic room. Each door opens into another time and place, some magical some dark and dangerous.
The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop (fantasy/adventure)
The housekeeper’s going away gift is a model of a castle, exact in so many details, complete with a miniature knight. William can’t wait to play with it... he is certain it is magical!
Christopher Mouse by William Wise(animal fantasy)
After being sold to an unscrupulous pet store owner, a young mouse lives with several owners and has many adventures, before ending up with an appreciative family. This is the story of a rather extraordinary mouse who, through the force of will, and indeed, good luck, finds his own small way in a very large world.
NON-FICTION
Freedom Riders: John Lewis and Jim Zwerg on the Front Lines of the Civil Right Movement by Ann Bausum
A compelling retelling of the tales about the Greek hero, Theseus, including The oracle and the sorceress , The club and the sword, On the road to Athens , An assassination attempt, and more.
Two young men, one black, one white took part in the history changing events of the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. They had lived very different childhoods. This book tells the story of their personal histories, how their arrived on the Freedom bus rides. They faced many dangers but each had reasons for the choices they made.
The Kitchen Knightt retold by Margaret Hodges
Based on the tales of King Arthur’s Court this retelling captures the adventure and regal behavior of the times. A young knight shows his courage and honor and even his resourcefulness as he rescues and wins the affection of a fair young maiden. The rich detailed illustrations add to the enjoyment of the tale of young Sir Gareth.
Science Detectives How Scientists Solved Six Real-life
ysteries by the editors of Yes mag
Science is not only lab work but often must include rigorous work in the field. The true stories in this collection demonstrate that it is the combination of knowledge and investigation that brings about understand.
Close to the Wind: The Beaufort Scale by Peter Malone
Sailors all over the world owe a debt of gratitude to Captain Francis Beaufort. For five years he sailed around the world collecting information about wind forces at sea and created a chart to compare them. This scale makes sea travel much safer. The book is full of details and explanations about ships and sailing.
One Well: The Story of Water on Earth by Rochelle Strauss
The earth is mostly water and the only planet with liquid water. Life on earth depends on water. This book clearly shows this relationship between life and water, how each individual impacts the water cycle and the vital role of the individual in protecting the essential resource.
Mosquito Bite by Alexandra Siy & Dennis Kunkel
Who hasn’t been bitten by a mosquito? This book is the simple tale of a backyard game of tag as seen from two sides, the kids and the mosquitoes. What makes it special is the extraordinary close-up photography of the tiny bloodsuckers. Readers will never look at mosquitoes the same again.
Guinea Pig Scientists by Leslie Dendy and Mel Boring
Stories of ten men and women, from the 1770s to the present, who devoted their lives, and sometimes risked them, to answer some of the big questions in science and medicine.
Built to Last: Building America's Amazing Bridges, Dams, Tunnels, and Skyscrapers by George Sullivan
The talent, creativity, hard work and determination that helped build the dynamic United States of America is documented in this book written about multiple building projects that are marvels of engineering.
Technically, It’s Not My Fault: Concrete Poems by John Grandits
This is the book you would write if you wanted to write a poetry book. The choice of topics and the method, concrete shapes, will inspire you to begin a book of your own.
Who Was First? Discovering the Americas by Russell Freedman
History can’t change but what we know about past events can be altered as new discoveries are made and new research explains more mysteries. This is the case with explorers traveling to the Americas, Columbus was NOT the first? Read this book and find out more.
The American Story :100 True Tales from American History by Jennifer Armstrong
One hundred brief stories about real people and occurrences in American history, arranged in chronological order by year from 1565 to 2000.
Kids Make History: A New Look at America’s Story by Susan Buckley and Elspeth Leacock
Children were among those present at 20 important moments in American history. From Pocahontas in 1607 to Jukay Hsu at 9/11 young people always have a voice. Listen to what they say.
Freeze Frame :A Photographic History of the Winter Olympics by Sue Macy
This book on the games and the past participants and their performances from the beginning at Chamonix, France in 1924 to the present has spectacular photographs and clear, captivating prose.
The 5,000 Year–Old Puzzle by Claudia Logan
A fictionalized account of the excavation of a secret tomb at Giza, Egypt, in 1925, told through the experiences of a young boy who accompanies his father on an archeological dig.
The North Pole Was HERE: puzzles and perils at the top of the world.by Andrew C. Revkin
The sun never sets, the air is 20 below zero, and the ice is moving at four hundred yards an hour. Welcome to the North Pole. Travel with a reporter to get the scoop on the Pole.
Ladies First: 40 Daring American Women Who Were Second to None by Elizabeth Cody Kimmel
This group of women, some famous and some little known, were all pioneers in their fields. The profiles, which contain three pages of concise historical and biographical information, are as inspiring as they are informative.
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