100 Cupboards, by N.D. Wilson

When Henry's parents are kidnapped by terrorists, Henry goes to live with his aunt, uncle, and three cousins, in Henry, Kansas. He is given the attic bedroom and is surprised one night by thumps on the wall. Plaster begins to fall away from the wall and Henry glimpses two knobs. As he pulls more plaster away, he realizes the knobs are attached to a door. His cousin Henrietta helps him pull more plaster away from the wall, until 99 small cupboards are revealed behind the wall, each with a different appearance. Soon Henry discovers that these cupboards lead to different worlds, but many are locked and too small for him to go through; however, they are not too small for things to come into his room through the cupboards! He and Henrietta embark on a quest to discover the mystery of the cupboards. Lovers of fantasy will enjoy these books. The author has a quirky sense of humor, and some random comments are difficult to understand. I was bothered by Henry's indifference to his parents' situation, but I still enjoyed this book.

Caution: There is some violence and an evil witch, much like Narnia's White Witch. The author is a Christian, and parents may recognize the author as the son of Douglas Wilson, who writes and publishes homeschool classical curriculum.

Fever 1793, by Laurie Halse Anderson

It's 1793: George Washington is president, Philadelphia is the temporary capital of the U.S., and a yellow fever epidemic is sweeping through the city. Fourteen-year-old Mattie helps her mother serve in the family's coffeeshop, but when her mother becomes ill, Mattie and her grandfather are urged to flee the city. Mattie and her grandfather get caught up in a struggle to survive, to help other victims, and to make careful decisions about the future. This well-researched book was very riveting, and I was totally caught up in the events of the book.
Caution: This is a book about an epidemic, so of course there's lots of death and descriptions of disease. This is not a book for the squeamish or sensitive reader.

The Mistmantle Chronicles:Urchin of the Riding Stars, by M. I McAllister

If you love fantasy novels such as Lord of the Rings, you will love the Mistmantle Chronicles! I have only read the first book, Urchin of the Riding Stars, but I couldn't put it down! Mistmantle is an enchanted island surrounded by mist and inhabited by squirrels, hedgehogs, moles, and otters. Urchin the squirrel longs to escape the drudgery of life in the forest for a more exciting life in the castle. When the captain of the guard, Crispin, chooses Urchin to be his page, he is filled with joy. His joy quickly turns to despair when Crispin is falsely accused of murdering the young prince and exiled. Urchin quickly gets caught up in events at the castle and tries to prove Crispin's innocence.

Caution: The villain in the story is truly evil; he is ruthless and ambitious and even murders to gain power. He also tries to institute the practice of "culling," which is killing weak or disabled infants. However, the author is a minister's wife, and this good vs. evil story is told from a Christian worldview.

A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park

The orphan Tree-Ear lives under the bridge with a crippled man, Crane-man, and they have to find their food from leavings in the field or from garbage piles. Tree Ear likes to watch the master potter, Min, at work, but one day accidentally breaks a piece of valuable pottery. He has to work for Min for nine days to pay off the debt. It becomes Tree-Ear's ambiton to become an apprentice and eventually a potter himself. When Min entrusts a valuable piece of pottery to Tree-Ear to take to the royal palace, there are many obstacles on his quest. To be honest, when I first saw that this book took place in 12th century Korea, I really didn't think it would be very interesting, but I ended up loving Tree-Ear's loyalty and determination, and I was rooting for him to please Min and finish his quest!

Magic or Not? by Edward Eager

When Laura and her twin brother James move to the country from New York City, a neighbor tells them their new house comes with a wishing well. When Laura wishes for a kitten and finds two by the well the next morning, they begin to wonder if the magic is real or only coincidence. Two new friends, Lydia and Kip, are willing to help them find out! The real magic in this book comes from the friendships they develop with the most unlikely people. I loved Edward Eager's style of writing; he has a great sense of humor. This book was written in 1959, when children were allowed to go off all day on unsupervised adventures, even hitchhiking into town!
Caution: A brief appearance by a ghost (or is it a ghost?)

Me and the Pumpkin Queen, by Marlane Kennedy

When she was six, Mildred and her mom visit the pumpkin festival in their home town of Circleville, Ohio, and gazed in wonder at the giant pumpkins. Her mom speaks of growing her own pumpkins, and after her death, Mildred becomes obsessed with winning the giant pumpkin contest. Growing giant pumpkins requires research, hard work, and a lot of determination, as well as fighting weather, pests, and accidents. It also requires overcoming the ridicule of classmates and Aunt Arlene's meddling. She just wants eleven year old Mildred to be a "normal girl." I think my 5th grade students will love Mildred's sense of humor and won't be able to put down this book until they find out whether Mildred wins the contest!

The Lost Flower Children by Janet Taylor Lisle

Olivia and Nellie's mother has recently died, and now they are sent to live with old Aunt Minty for the summer. Aunt Minty doesn't know much about children, especially the tantrums thrown by the younger sister, Nellie. Or does she? The girls get caught up in solving the mystery of the lost flower children, which they find in an old book on Aunt Minty's shelves. This is a short but sweet book, which I would love to read aloud to some eager listeners!

Jason's Gold by Will Hobbs

"Gold Discovered in Alaska!" screamed the headlines in 1898. Jason, a fifteen year old who has been living on his own, boards the train for his home in Seattle, excited about using his inheritance to finance his trip to the gold fields in Alaska. To his dismay, he finds his brothers have left three days before, and he begins his adventure, seeking not only his brothers but the fortune he hopes to find in gold. This is a great survival story and a well-researched historical novel.

Caution: This is a very realistic look at the Alaskan Gold Rush, and unfortunately, during one part of the trail, the Klondikers killed their horses when they were no longer needed. Jason was appalled at this cruelty to animals, and I am sure many readers will be upset.

Counting on Grace, by Elizabeth Winthrop

I really enjoyed this book about Grace, a twelve year old girl forced to help her family financially by working long hours in the local mill. A concerned teacher helps Grace and her friend Arthur expose the horrible working conditions. This book takes place in 1910 Vermont, and the author based the book on actual photographs taken by a child labor reformer, Lewis Hines. The book contains the actual photographs, and the author's story of her research can be found on her website: http://elizabethwinthrop.com/searchforaddie.html

Caution: Details of one grisly mill accident might make this difficult for sensitive readers.