Kids Book Index
Susan Fletcher
Twelve-year-old Arthur is a runaway who becomes the handler of a polar bear traveling from Norway to the King of England. The bear is a royal gift from Norway’s king to England’s king. During the journey, Arthur forms a bond with her while looking after her. Their voyage raises questions of freedom and captivity for both the boy and the bear.
This book appears on 1 reading list across 1 edition.
Hazelnut DaysEmmanuel BourdierEach Saturday, a boy and his mother visit his father, who is in prison. These short weekly visits bring intense, changing feelings: he experiences love and anger, and he notices the scent of his father’s peppermint. He wishes instead for the hazelnut fragrance of a cologne. The story follows the emotional strain of maintaining a family connection during visits with an incarcerated parent and their impact.Nine to TwelveOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details
The Secret Kingdom: Nek Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of ArtBarb RosenstockThe Secret Kingdom traces Nek Chand Saini’s creation of the Rock Garden of Chandigarh after the 1947 Partition of India. Raised in Punjab among family stories and traveling minstrels, Nek later resettles in Chandigarh and builds a private “village” in jungle at the city’s edge. He gathers discarded objects and remnants of former villages to create paths, mosaic walls, and sculptures of people and animals. When officials discover the work after fifteen years and seek to tear it down, Chandigarh residents intervene so he can continue creating.Nine to TwelveOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details
Just Like JackieLindsey StoddardFifth grader Robbie tries to avoid trouble because her grandfather’s memory is failing and she does not want to cause him worry. He is her only remaining family, and she wants to keep them together. Robbie cares for her grandfather, who has Alzheimer’s disease, while struggling to control her temper. She also tries to live up to the example of her namesake, Jackie Robinson.Nine to TwelveLexile Text Measure 900LATOS Book Level 5.09On the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details