Recommendations based on Rulesby Cynthia Lord

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. Henry's Freedom Box: A True Story from the Underground Railroad

    by Ellen Levine
    A slave's courageous escape to freedom via the Underground Railroad.

    A stirring, dramatic story of a slave who mails himself to freedom by a Jane Addams Peace Award-winning author and a Coretta Scott King Award-winning artist. Henry Brown doesn't know how old he is. ... (Barnes & Noble)

  2. Out of My Mind

    by Sharon M. Draper
    A young girl with cerebral palsy struggles to overcome obstacles and prove her ability.

    Melody Brooks is a girl who was born with cerebral palsy . Also, who is ten years old. Her parents have done everything they can to help her live a normal life, but life is often frustrating for ... (Wikipedia)

  3. Stargirl

    by Jerry Spinelli
    An uplifting story of a unique girl who challenges her classmates to be their true selves.

    The book begins with a brief introduction to the main character, Leo, at an early age, which is followed by his move from his home state of Pennsylvania to Arizona when he is 12. Before the move, his ... (Wikipedia)

  4. 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)

  5. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

    by Sherman Alexie
    A young Native American boy's struggles to survive in a difficult world.

    The book follows a fourteen-year-old boy living with his family on the Spokane Indian Reservation near Wellpinit, Washington for a school year. It is told in episodic diary style, moving from the ... (Wikipedia)

  6. 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)

  7. When You Reach Me

    by Rebecca Stead
    A young girl in 1970s New York City receives mysterious notes that seem to predict the future. She must unravel the mystery before it's too late.

    Miranda is an ordinary sixth grader, until she starts receiving mysterious messages from somebody who knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her ... (Goodreads)

  8. Love That Dog

    by Sharon Creech
    A young boy's reluctant journey to discover his love of poetry, and his own writing talent.

    "I guess it does look like a poem when you see it typed up like that." Jack hates poetry. Only girls write it and every time he tries to, his brain feels empty. But his teacher, Ms. Stretchberry, ... (Goodreads)

  9. Frindle

    by Andrew Clements
    A boy's simple idea revolutionizes the English language, sparking a debate among teachers and students.

    Nicholas "Nick" Allen is a class clown who has been formulating creative schemes throughout grade school . At the start of fifth grade in 1987, he is unhappy because his English teacher is the ... (Wikipedia)

  10. The Lion and the Mouse

    by Jerry Pinkney
    A fable of unlikely friendship that teaches the importance of kindness and helping others.

    In a book where the only words are the sounds made by the animals, the story begins at dawn. A mouse escapes several predators before coming upon a lion. The lion lets the mouse go. Later, some ... (Wikipedia)

  11. Elijah of Buxton

    by Christopher Paul Curtis
    A young boy's adventures in a pre-Civil War free-town, learning the true meaning of freedom.

    Newbery Medalist and CSK Award winner Christopher Paul Curtis's debut middle-grade/young-YA novel for Scholastic features his trademark humor, compelling storytelling, and unique narrative voice. ... (Goodreads)

  12. Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse

    by Kevin Henkes
    A young mouse's journey of learning the importance of responsibility and patience.

    Lilly loves everything about school, especially her cool teacher, Mr. Slinger. But when Lilly brings her purple plastic purse and its treasures to school and can't wait until sharing time, Mr. ... (Goodreads)

  13. 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)

  14. Inside Out & Back Again

    by Thanhha Lai
    A young girl and her family flee Vietnam, adapting to a new life in America.

    Inside Out and Back Again is a story about a young girl named Kim Hà and her family, consisting of her Mother and three brothers, being forced to move to the United States because the Vietnam War had ... (Wikipedia)

  15. Rain Reign

    by Ann M. Martin
    A young girl with Asperger's navigates her world through her love of homonyms while dealing with family issues.

    From Newbery Honor author Ann M. Martin, who wrote the Baby-sitters Club series, comes a, New York Times,-bestselling middle grade novel about a girl, her dog, and the trials of growing up in a ... (Barnes & Noble)

  16. There Is a Bird on Your Head!

    by Mo Willems
    A young girl joins her feathered friend on a silly journey through the house.

    Gerald and Piggie are best friends! Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. In There Is a Bird On My Head! , Gerald ... (Barnes & Noble)

  17. 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)

  18. Interrupting Chicken

    by David Ezra Stein
    A young chicken's imaginative bedtime stories, with a few interruptions along the way.

    Awarded a 2011 Caldecott Honor!, A favorite joke inspires this charming tale, in which a little chicken's habit of interrupting bedtime stories is gleefully turned on its head. It's time for the ... (Goodreads)

  19. Among the Hidden

    by Margaret Peterson Haddix
    Luke is a third child in a society where having more than two children is illegal. He must hide or face severe consequences.

    In a dystopian future, after a shortage of food and overpopulation, families are limited to two children. Luke Garner, a 12-year-old boy, lives on a farm with his mother, father, and two brothers. As ... (Wikipedia)

  20. The Thing About Jellyfish

    by Ali Benjamin
    A young girl's quest to reconcile the death of her best friend, and the power of human connection.

    The book follows Suzy Swanson, the protagonist and narrator, who theorizes the death of her friend, Franny Jackson, was caused by a jellyfish sting. Suzy has started the seventh grade, which is the ... (Wikipedia)

  21. A Bad Case of Stripes

    by David Shannon
    Camilla loves lima beans but is afraid of being different. She wakes up one day covered in stripes and learns to embrace her uniqueness.

    The main character is a girl named Camilla Cream who secretly loves lima beans but doesn't want to eat them because her friends dislike them and she wants to be just like them. One day she wakes up ... (Wikipedia)

  22. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom

    by Bill Martin Jr.
    A playful story of letters competing to climb a coconut tree.

    The 26 characters in this rhythmic, rhyming baby book are a lowercase alphabet with attitude. "A told b, and b told c, 'I'll meet you at the top of the coconut tree'"–which probably seemed like a ... (Goodreads)

  23. Shiloh

    by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
    A young boy finds a stray dog and wants to keep him, but faces challenges from his family and the dog's original owner.

    The novel is set in the small town of Shiloh, West Virginia, ,[nb 1], where an eleven-year-old boy named Marty Preston finds a stray beagle named Shiloh wandering in the hills near his house. Shiloh ... (Wikipedia)

  24. The Name of This Book Is Secret

    by Pseudonymous Bosch
    Two kids embark on a dangerous adventure to uncover the secrets of a mysterious magician's hidden legacy.

    Warning: this description has not been authorized by Pseudonymous Bosch. As much as he'd love to sing the praises of his book (he is very vain), he wouldn't want you to hear about his brave 11-year ... (Goodreads)

  25. 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)

  26. Loser

    by Jerry Spinelli
    Donald Zinkoff is a lovable, quirky kid who struggles to fit in with his peers. He learns to embrace his uniqueness and find his own path.

    From renowned Newbery-winning author Jerry Spinelli comes a powerful story about how not fitting in just might lead to an incredible life. This classic book is perfect for fans of Gordon Korman and ... (Barnes & Noble)

  27. Freak the Mighty

    by Rodman Philbrick
    The story of two unlikely friends, united by a shared sense of bravery and courage.

    The novel is set in a version of Portsmouth, New Hampshire . , In the beginning of the book, Maxwell Kane is a young boy with low self-esteem . He lives with his grandfather, Grim, and grandmother, ... (Wikipedia)

  28. 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)

  29. Diary of a Worm

    by Doreen Cronin
    A humorous look at life as a worm, with adventures and lessons to be learned.

    #1 New York Times Bestseller! This hilarious picture book from the bestselling, acclaimed author-illustrator team of Doreen Cronin and Harry Bliss tells the adventures of a worm through his daily ... (Barnes & Noble)

  30. 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)