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Recommendations based on Elijah of Buxtonby Christopher Paul Curtis
* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans
Moon Over Manifest
by Clare Vanderpool
A young girl's adventure through 1920s America, uncovering family secrets and finding her identity.
The main character in the book is Abilene Tucker, a nice, adventurous girl from 1936. Her father sent her to a small town called Manifest, Kansas while he worked a railroad job somewhere else. She ... (Wikipedia)
The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963
by Christopher Paul Curtis
The Watson family travels from Michigan to Alabama during the height of the Civil Rights Movement, experiencing racism and tragedy.
The Newbery Honor-winning American classic, The Watsons Go to Birmingham–1963 , celebrates 20 years with this anniversary edition featuring a special letter from Christopher Paul Curtis and an ... (Goodreads)
The Mighty Miss Malone
by Christopher Paul Curtis
During the Great Depression, a young girl and her family struggle to survive and find their place in society.
“We are a family on a journey to a place called wonderful” is the motto of Deza Malone’s family. Deza is the smartest girl in her class in Gary, Indiana, singled out by teachers for a special path in ... (Goodreads)
The Graveyard Book
by Neil Gaiman
A young boy's journey through a graveyard, learning the secrets of the dead.
The story begins as the man Jack murders most of the members of a family (later revealed to be the Dorian family) except for the toddler upstairs. Unknown to him, the toddler has climbed out of his ... (Wikipedia)
The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate
by Jacqueline Kelly
A young girl in rural Texas discovers her passion for science and nature.
In the summer of 1899, Calpurnia Virginia Tate is about to turn twelve and worries about the adult responsibilities that loom on the horizon. She would much rather swim in the river near her family's ... (Wikipedia)
Bud, Not Buddy
by Christopher Paul Curtis
A young boy searches for his father during the Great Depression, encountering adventure and unexpected kindness along the way.
The story opens with Bud being placed with a new foster family, the Amoses'. Bud soon meets Todd Amos, their 12-year-old son, who teases him mercilessly and calls him Buddy. After a fight with Todd, ... (Wikipedia)
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet
by Jamie Ford
A touching story of the intersection of love, family, and culture during World War II.
Henry Lee, the son of Chinese parents in Seattle , Washington, is the only Asian child at his elementary school. His father makes him wear an "I Am Chinese" button so he will not be mistaken for a ... (Wikipedia)
Beauty: A Retelling of the Story of Beauty and the Beast
by Robin McKinley
An unconventional retelling of a classic fairytale, exploring themes of love and transformation.
Roderick Huston, a wealthy merchant and widower, has three daughters; Grace, Hope, and Honour. When Honour was a child she asked what her name meant and afterwards said she'd rather be named Beauty, ... (Wikipedia)
Rules
by Cynthia Lord
A young girl's attempt to make peace with her family's dynamic and her autistic brother.
This Newbery Honor Book is a heartfelt and witty story about feeling different and finding acceptance–beyond the rules. Twelve-year-old Catherine just wants a normal life. Which is near impossible ... (Goodreads)
Tuck Everlasting
by Natalie Babbitt
A young girl discovers the secret of a family that has found the key to eternal life.
12-year-old Winifred "Winnie" Foster is frustrated with her family because they keep her cooped up in the house, and considers running away from her home in rural Treegap. One day, while in a wooded ... (Wikipedia)
Esperanza Rising
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
A young girl from a wealthy Mexican family is forced to flee to California during the Great Depression and learns to adapt to a new life as a farm worker.
Esperanza is a child in Aguascalientes , Mexico, daughter of wealthy landowner Sixto Ortega. She lives on her family's ranch, El Rancho de la Rosas, with her mother, father, and grandmother Abuelita. ... (Wikipedia)
Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo
A girl's journey of self-discovery and healing, as she finds friendship in an unlikely companion.
Kate DiCamillo's beloved, best-selling debut novel is now available in a paperback digest edition. Kate DiCamillo's first published novel, like Winn-Dixie himself, immediately proved to be a keeper—a ... (Goodreads)
The Tale of Despereaux
by Kate DiCamillo
An epic adventure of an unlikely hero, on a quest to save his kingdom and restore justice.
A noble mouse named Despereaux saves a princess named Princess Pea. Book one tells a story about a small, sickly mouse named Despereaux who was born in a castle with his eyes open. Despereaux, unlike ... (Wikipedia)
Out of the Dust
by Karen Hesse
A poetic story of a young girl's endurance through a time of great hardship.
When Billie Jo is just fourteen she must endure heart-wrenching ordeals that no child should have to face. The quiet strength she displays while dealing with unspeakable loss is as surprising as it ... (Goodreads)
Wonderstruck
by Brian Selznick
Two stories from different eras intertwine, revealing hidden connections between a deaf girl and a runaway boy.
Ben’s story starts in Gunflint Lake, Minnesota in June 1977. He was born deaf in his left ear. Ben’s mom, Elaine, was the town librarian, but died in a car crash. He now lives with his aunt and uncle ... (Wikipedia)
Walk Two Moons
by Sharon Creech
A young girl embarks on a road trip with her grandparents to find her missing mother, while reflecting on her own life and relationships.
The novel is narrated by a 13-year-old girl named Salamanca (Sal). Sal's mother has recently left Sal's father, and Sal's grandparents are taking her on a cross-country car trip to Lewiston, Idaho to ... (Wikipedia)
The Wednesday Wars
by Gary D. Schmidt
A coming-of-age story of a student facing the challenges of the Vietnam War era.
In this Newbery Honor-winning novel, Gary D. Schmidt offers an unforgettable antihero. The Wednesday Wars is a wonderfully witty and compelling story about a teenage boy’s mishaps and adventures over ... (Goodreads)
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
by Kate DiCamillo
Edward, a china rabbit, embarks on a journey of self-discovery, learning the power of love.
Edward Tulane is a china rabbit given to a ten-year-old girl named Abilene , by her grandmother in the 1930s. He enjoys a pleasant but vain life with his young mistress, who treats him with the ... (Wikipedia)
Savvy
by Ingrid Law
A family discovers the power of their special inherited magical gifts.
For generations, the Beaumont family has harbored a magical secret. They each possess a "savvy" -a special supernatural power that strikes when they turn thirteen. Grandpa Bomba moves mountains, her ... (Goodreads)
The War I Finally Won
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
A young girl with a disability finds the courage to fight for independence and to make her own choices.
Ada and her younger brother, Jamie, now have a permanent home with their loving legal guardian, Susan Smith. Although Jamie adapts more easily, Ada still struggles with the aftermath of her old life, ... (Goodreads)
The Higher Power of Lucky
by Susan Patron
A young girl's journey of self-discovery, learning the power of resilience and hope.
The novel features Lucky, a 10-year-old girl who lives in a small town called Hard Pan (population 43) in the California desert with her two friends Lincoln, who is an avid knot tyer and expected by ... (Wikipedia)
The Five Chinese Brothers
by Claire Huchet Bishop
Five brothers use their special powers to outsmart an emperor and save their family from execution.
In the Imperial China of the Qing dynasty , there are five brothers who "all looked exactly alike." They each possess a special talent: one can swallow the sea, one has an unbreakable iron neck, one ... (Wikipedia)
The Invention of Hugo Cabret
by Brian Selznick
An orphaned boy's journey to unravel the secrets of a mechanical man and find his place in the world.
In 1930s Paris, young Hugo Cabret and his father repair an automaton at the museum where his father works. When Hugo's father dies in a fire, his uncle brings him to live and work at the train ... (Wikipedia)
Bridge to Terabithia
by Katherine Paterson
A young girl and boy's adventures in a secret kingdom, overcoming the harsh realities of life.
Artistic young Jess Aarons deals with the hardships of his home life, such as his duties on his family's farm and the annoyances of his four sisters. Leslie Burke is an intelligent, wealthy girl who ... (Wikipedia)
Forge
by Laurie Halse Anderson
A young slave fights for his freedom during the American Revolution, facing betrayal and hardship along the way.
For many readers,, Forge, “will be one of the best novels they have ever read” (starred review from, Kirkus Reviews,)! Blistering winds. Bitter cold. And the hope of a new future. In this compelling ... (Barnes & Noble)
Paperboy
by Vince Vawter
A young boy with a stutter takes over his friend's paper route for a month, facing racial tensions and personal challenges along the way.
The story takes place in 1959 in Memphis. "Little Man" Victor, an eleven-year-old boy who stutters, takes over his best friend Rat's paper route while Rat is visiting his grandparents. Little Man has ... (Wikipedia)
Kira-Kira
by Cynthia Kadohata
A story of resilience and hope through the eyes of a young girl growing up in a Japanese-American family.
In the early 1950s, Katie Takeshima and her family live in Iowa, where her parents own a Japanese supermarket . When the store goes out of business in 1956, the family moves from Iowa to an apartment ... (Wikipedia)
The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency
by Alexander McCall Smith
An empowering story of female friendship, courage, and detective work in Botswana.
Precious Ramotswe has only just set up shop as Botswana's No.1 (and only) lady detective when she is hired to track down a missing husband, uncover a con man, and follow a wayward daughter. However, ... (Goodreads)
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
by Mildred D. Taylor
A family's story of struggle and survival during the Great Depression in the segregated American South.
Nine-year-old Cassie Logan is walking to school with her siblings Stacey (twelve years old), Christopher-John (seven years old), and Little Man,(six years old), in rural Mississippi . Cassie talks ... (Wikipedia)
A Year Down Yonder
by Richard Peck
Young girl moves to her grandmother's for a year, discovering life's hard lessons and unexpected joys.
The year is 1938, and the Great Depression has hit the Dowdel family hard. 15-year-old Mary Alice is sent downstate to live with Grandma Dowdel while her mother and father remain in Chicago. Her ... (Wikipedia)
