Get a Clue!
Summer 2007 Recommended Reading List

Snoopers: Pre-K and Kindergarten

Picture Books

Barton, Byron Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs
In prehistoric days there were many different kinds of dinosaurs, big and small, those with spikes and those with long, sharp teeth.

Brown, Margaret Wise The Color Kittens
While the color kittens are trying to make green paint, their mixing leads to pink, orange, and purple.

Brown, Margaret Wise Goodnight Moon
Goodnight to each of the objects in the great green room: goodnight chairs, goodnight comb, and goodnight air.

Carle, Eric Hello, Red Fox
Guests at Little Frog’s birthday party include the red fox, the purple butterfly, the orange cat and the other colorful animals.

Ehlert, Lois Pie in the Sky
A father and child watch the cherry tree in their back yard, waiting until there are ripe cherries to bake in a pie. Recipe included.

Henkes, Kevin Circle Dogs
Circle dogs live in a square house with a square yard and spend a busy day eating circle snacks, digging circle holes and sleeping.

Henkes, Kevin Kitten’s First Full Moon
When Kitten mistakes the full moon for a bowl of milk, she ends up tired, wet, and hungry trying to reach it.

Lass, Bonnie Who took the Cookies from the Cookie Jar?
A skunk tries to find out which of his animal friends stole the cookies in this adaptation of the children’s playground song.

Mitton, Tony Dinosaurumpus
A rhyming tale of Triceratops, Brontosaurus, and even Tyrannosaurus gathering at the swamp to dance.

Numeroff, Laura Joffe If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Relating to the cycle of requests a mouse is likely to make after you give him a cookie takes the reader through a young child’s day.

Palatini, Margie The Web Files
Ducktective Web and his partner try to quack the case of the pilfered peck of perfectly picked pickled peppers.

Tekavec, Heather What’s that Awful Smell?
While investigating an odor in their barn, a group of animals discovers a little piglet and engages in a variety of antics to get rid of the awful smell.

Thong, Roseanne Round is a Mooncake
As a little girl discovers things round, square, and rectangular in her urban neighborhood, she is reminded of her Chinese-American culture.

Wallace, Nancy Elizabeth Tell-a-Bunny
As one bunny passes the message on to the next, Sunny’s plans for a surprise birthday party for Earl undergo some changes.

Walsh, Ellen Stoll Dot and Jabber and the Big Bug
Dot and Jabber, mouse detectives, try to solve the mystery of the disappearing insects.

E Board Books

Walsh, Ellen Stoll Mouse Paint
Three white mice discover jars of red, blue, and yellow paint and explore the world of color.

ABC and 123 Books

Ehlert, Lois Eating the Alphabet: fruits and vegetables
An alphabetical tour of the world of fruits and vegetables, from apricot and artichoke to yam and zucchini.

E Non-fiction

Aardema, Verna Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears
A retelling of a traditional West African tale that explains how the mosquito developed its annoying habit.

Jenkins, Steve What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?
Explore the many amazing things animals can do with their ears, eyes, mouths, noses, feet, and tails.

Morris, Ann Hats, Hats, Hats
Introduces a variety of hats, from soft and hard hats to snuggly and hooded hats.

Investigators: Grades 1-2

Picture Books

Barrett, Judi Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs
In the town of Chewandswallow , food falls from the sky on schedule for every meal. When the food becomes large and dangerous, the town folk escape on slices of bread and abandon the town.

Carle, Eric The Secret Birthday Message
A message in code starts Tim off on an exciting treasure hunt until he finds his special birthday surprise.

Carrick, Carol Big Old Bones: a dinosaur tale
Professor Potts discovers some big old bones and puts them together in various ways until he is satisfied he has discovered a dinosaur that once ruled the earth.

Cushman, Doug Mystery at the Club Sandwich
When a famous singer at the Club Sandwich loses her lucky marbles, elephant detective Nick Trunk takes the case. This hard-boiled detective story is full of puns.

De Paola, Tomie Bill and Pete Go Down the Nile
Little William Everett Crocodile and his friend Pete take a class trip to a Cairo museum, where they encounter a jewel thief.

Ewart, Claire Fossil
Upon finding a special stone, a child imagines the life of a pterosaur, the ancient flying reptile that lived, died, and was fossilized into that stone.

Fleischman, Paul Sidewalk Circus
A young girl watches as the activities across the street from her bus stop become a circus.

Kellogg, Steven The Mysterious Tadpole
It soon becomes clear that Louis's pet tadpole is not turning into an ordinary frog.

Lord, John Vernon The Giant Jam Sandwich
This story in rhyme tells how the town of Itching Down gets rid of an invasion of four million wasps.

McGhee, Alison Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth
A first grader is frightened on her first day of school after hearing a rumor that her teacher is a 300-year-old alien with a purple tongue who steals baby teeth from her students.

Munsch, Robert Purple, Green and Yellow
When Brigid continues to ask her mom for brightly colored markers she finally gets some that won't come off the walls or her.

Numeroff, Laura Joffe If You Give a Mouse a Cookie
Relating to the cycle of requests a mouse is likely to make after you give him a cookie takes the reader through a young child's day

Numeroff, Laura Joffe Why a Disguise?
Relates with humor how a disguise can be used to evade the school bully, Mom's lima beans, and other unpleasant things

Palatini, Margie The Web Files
Ducktective Web and his partner try to quack the case of the pilfered peck of perfectly picked pickled peppers.

Scieszka, Jon Baloney (Henry P.)
A transmission received from outer space in a combination of different Earth languages tells of an alien schoolboy's fantastic excuse for being late to school again.

Slobodkina, Esphyr Caps for Sale
A band of mischievous monkeys steals every one of a peddler's caps while he takes a nap under a tree.

Steiner, Joan Look-Alikes Jr.
Simple verses challenge readers to identify everyday objects in Lookalike Land .

Wahl, Jan The Field Mouse and the Dinosaur Named Sue
What if a tiny mouse, who lives under one of the celebrated Sue the Tyrannosaurus Rex's fossilized bones, found herself transported along with Sue to the Field Museum in Chicago ?

Wick, Walter Can You See What I See?
Presents 12 brain-teasing hidden picture puzzles to solve. The rhyming text on each spread ends with a twist.

Wiesner, David June 29, 1999
While her third-grade classmates are sprouting seeds in paper cups, Becky has a more ambitious, innovative science project in mind.

Wisniewski, David Tough Cookie
When his friend Chips is snatched and chewed, Tough Cookie sets out from the bottom of the jar to stop Fingers. This is a spoof of hard-boiled detective stories.

Wood, Audrey Sweet Dream Pie
Brindle helps Ma bake her irresistible sweet dream pie, and the whole neighborhood is affected,

Beginning Readers

Ada , Alma Flor Daniel's Mystery Egg
When he finds an egg, Daniel and his friends try to guess what is inside.

Alphin, Elaine Marie Dinosaur Hunter
In Wyoming in the 1880's a young boy fulfills his dream of finding a dinosaur skeleton on his father's ranch, outwits a man who would cheat him, and sells his find to a team of fossil hunters.

Berenstain, Stan Berenstain Bears and the Escape of the Bogg Brothers
The Bear Detectives get to work when the nasty Bogg Brothers escape from jail and threaten to plunder the Bearsonian, the biggest museum in Bear Country.

Berensain, Stan Berenstain Bears and the Tic-Tac-Toe Mystery
The bears try to figure out how Tic-Tac-Tom always wins at Tic-Tac-Toe and whether he is cheating.

Cazet, Denys Minnie and Moo Save the Earth
While relaxing in the farmer's hot tub, two cow friends unknowingly thart an alien invasion and save the planet.

Clark, Sheryl Whose Birthday is it?
Luke is worried that no one from his new school will come to his birthday party, but when he and his parents inadvertently create a party mystery, everyone is intrigued.

Gantos, Jack Rotten Ralph Helps Out
Everyone's favorite rotten cat surprises Sarah by saving the day after spoiling her earlier efforts to create the perfect project for her school project on Ancient Egypt.

Herman, Gail Scooby Doo! The Apple Thief
Somebody is emptying the apple baskets as fast as Scooby and the gang can fill them up. Looks like there is a mystery to solve.

Jennings , Sharon Franklin the Detective
Franklin puts his detective skills to work for his friends.

Ladd, Frances Ann Hamtaro, Private Eye
"Hamtaro is a top Ham-detective! So when things start disappearing from the Ham-ham clubhouse, Hamtaro puts his super sleuth know-how to work..."

McMullan, Kate The Mummy's Gold
Jake thinks that the mummy he meets at a movie theater is part of one of his brother's tricks, but he is wrong.

Peterson, Scott Batman: the story of Batman
Wealthy Bruce Wayne acquires the skills necessary to protect the people of Gotham City , adopting the disguise of a bat to safeguard his identity.

Rau, Dana Meahen Purple is Best
Sue's blue paint and Fred's red paint get mixed together and create purple.

Warner, Gertrude Chandler Magic Show Mystery
Benny decides to have a magic show. He practices all the time. But then Watch, Benny's bag of tricks, and even Benny's cracked pink cup disappear. Will Benny ever get to show his friends his tricks?

Fairy Tales

Aardema, Verna Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears
A retelling of a traditional West African tale that explains how the mosquito developed its annoying habit.

Bruchac, Joseph How Chipmunk Got His Stripes
The Bruchacs bring their knowledge and finesse with Native-American culture and literature to this Pourquoi tale.

Climo, Shirley The Egyptian Cinderella
Stunning illustrations in rich, luminous colors bring to life this well-told story.

Ehlert, Lois Cuckoo: a Mexican folktale
A traditional Mayan tale that reveals how the cuckoo lost her beautiful feathers

E Non-fiction

Hoban, Tana Look Book
Full-color nature photographs are first viewed through a cut-out hole and then in their entirety.

Marzollo, Jean I Spy, a Book of Picture Riddles
Each rhyming riddle in this bright collection of photographic challenges invites children to find objects hidden throughout thematic pages.

Mitton, Jacqueline Zoo in the Sky: a book of animal constellations
Large vibrant paintings and shimmering foil stars make a brilliant connection between age-old stargazing tales and the constellations.

Rau, Dana Meachen The Secret Code
Oscar, who is blind, teaches Lucy how to read his Braille book.

Young, Ed Seven Blind Mice
In this retelling of the Indian fable, seven blind mice discover different parts of an elephant and argue about its appearance.

J Non-fiction

Donnelly, Judy Tut's Mummy Lost… and Found
Describes the burial of the Pharaoh Tutankhamen and the discovery of his long-lost tomb by archaeologists more than 3,000 years later.

Gibbon, Gail Mummies, Pyramids and Pharaohs: a book about ancient Egypt
Provides an overview of life in ancient Egypt , describing the people's daily activities, beliefs and customs, and what has been learned from artifacts left behind.

Prelutsky, Jack For Laughing Out Loud: poems to tickle your funny bone
A collection of humorous poetry on a variety of topics.

Prelutsky, Jack A Pizza the Size of the Sun
Humorous poetry.

Prelutsky, Jack Something Big Has Been Here
An illustrated collection of humorous poetry.

Wilkes, Angela Dazzling Disguises and Clever Costumes
Projects for creating a variety of disguises and costume items.

Investigators: Grades 3-4

J Fiction

Ahlberg, Allen The Cat Who Got Carried Away
It is an exciting couple of days for the Gaskitt family and their community-with missing pets, an unusual substitute teacher, and a special addition to their household.

Brooks, Walter Freddy the Detective
Freddy, the Sherlock Holmes-obsessed pig, does some detective work in order to solve the mystery of a missing toy train.

Brown, Jeff Stanley in Space
When the residents of a far-distant planet send a message to Earth asking for someone to meet with them, the president of the United States asks Stanley Lambchop, an all-American boy, to be his ambassador.

Fitzhugh, Louse Harriet the Spy
Eleven-year-old Harriet keeps notes on her classmates and neighbors in a secret notebook, but when some of them find out they are so upset they shun her, and Harriet must find a way to win them back.

Greenburg, Dan The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot
After hearing stories that a Bigfoot-like monster is haunting Camp Weno-wanna-getta-wedgee, ten-year-old Zack begins to find evidence that the legend may be true.

Handford, Martin Where's Waldo?
The reader follows Waldo around the world.

King-Smith, Dick The Water Horse
In 1930, on the coast of Scotland , eight-year-old Kirstie finds a large egg, which hatches into an unusual sea creature that finally grows too big to live anywhere but Loch Ness.

Milne, A. A. Winnie-the-Pooh
Explore chapter 4, “Eeyore Loses His Tail”

Scieszk, Jon Me Oh Maya
Joe, Fred, and Sam find themselves whisked by the Book to the main ring-ball court in Chichen Itza , Mexico , in 1000 A.D., where they must play for their lives against a Mayan High Priest who cheats.

Van Draanen, Wendelin Shredderman: Secret Identity
Fifth-grader Nolan Byrd, tired of being called names by the class bully, has a secret identity- Shredderman!

J Mysteries

Adler, David Cam Jansen and the Chocolate Fudge Mystery
When Cam and her friend Eric discover a mystery while selling fudge to raise money for the local library, Cam uses her photographic memory to solve a crime.

Adler, David Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Dinosaur Bones
When she notices some bones missing from a dinosaur skeleton exhibited in the museum, a young girl with a photographic memory tries to discover who has been taking them and why.

Hale, Bruce The Malted Falcon: from the Tattered Casebook of Chet Gecko
Join fourth-grade detective Chet Gecko and his sidekick, mockingbird Natalie Attired, in this pun-filled mystery.

Preller, James The Case of the Mummy Mystery
Second-grade detective Jigsaw Jones and his partner, Mila, have an eerie case to wrap up when a mummy is spotted at the class Halloween party.

Sobol, Donald Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective
Fifth-grader “Encyclopedia” Leroy Brown solves ten mysteries and, by putting the solutions at the back of the book, challenges the reader to do the same.

Weyn, Suzanne Scooby-Doo and the Loch Ness Monster
When Scooby-Doo and the gang go to Scotland for the Highland Games, the Loch Ness monster makes a mysterious appearance.

Fairy Tales
Aardema, Verna Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears
A retelling of a traditional West African tale that explains how the mosquito developed its annoying habit.

Climo, Shirley The Egyptian Cinderella
Stunning illustrations in rich, luminous colors bring to life this well-told story.

E Non-fiction

Mitton, Jacqueline Zoo in the Sky: a book of animal constellations
Large vibrant paintings and shimmering foil stars make a brilliant connection between age-old stargazing tales and the constellations.

J Non-fiction

Aliki Mummies Made in Egypt
Describes and illustrates the techniques and the reasons for the use of mummification in ancient Egypt .

Burgan, Michael Bigfoot
This high-interest title discusses the controversy of Bigfoot sightings in the woods of North America and what scientists think of the sightings.

Byrd, Rober The Hero and the Minotaur
Join Theseus as he solves the mystery of his birth, vanquishes a colorful cast of robbers, and volunteers to slay the frightful Minotaur devouring the children of Athens .

Croce, Nicholas Detectives: Life Investigating Crimes
Explores how to prepare for and get into the field of detective work as an FBI agent, police detective, or private investigator, and looks at the daily life of one who chooses a career in criminal investigation.

D'Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar Parin D”Aulaire D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths
This classic collection of Greek myths includes the story of Theseus and the Minotaur

Emberley, Ed Ed Emberley's Fingerprint Drawing Book
With fingers, pen and an ink pad, create animals, flowers, food, landscapes and people.

Evert, Laura Rocks, Fossils and Arrowheads
Introduces children to 15 common rocks and minerals, five kinds of fossils, and seven different arrowheads and artifacts.

Jackson, Donna The Wildlife Detectives : how forensic scientists fight crimes against nature
Describes how the wildlife detectives at the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, analyze clues to catch and convict people responsible for crimes against animals

Lambert, David DK Guide to Dinosaurs
A fact fest for dinosaur lovers.

Meltzer, Milton, Case closed : the real scoop on detective work
Describes the day-to-day work by people in the investigation fields.

Oxlade, Chris The Mystery of UFOs
Discusses the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects, including notable sightings throughout history, and possible explanations for them.

Prelutsky, Jack For Laughing Out Loud: poems to tickle your funny bone
A collection of humorous poetry on a variety of topics.

Prelutsky, Jack A Pizza the Size of the Sun
Humorous poetry.

Prelutsky, Jack Something Big Has Been Here
An illustrated collection of humorous poetry.

Ross, Kathy Crafts for Kids Who are Wild About Dinosaurs
Instructions for 20 projects including a triceratops ring-toss game, diplodocus body puppet, plesiosaur window decoration, and dinosaur feet.

Shannon , George Stories to Solve: folktales from around the world
Brief folktales in which there is a mystery or problem that the reader is invited to solve before the resolution is presented.

Sievert, Terri The Loch Ness Monster
Describes the sightings of and the search for Scotland 's Loch Ness Monster

Steig, William C D B
Letters and numbers are used to create the sounds of words and simple sentences 4 u 2 figure out with the aid of illustrations.

Van Cleave, Janice Janice Van Cleave's Constellations for Every Kid: activities that make learning science fun
Describes 20 of the most prominent constellations, including the Big Dipper, Orion, and Cancer; explains how to locate them; and provides instructions for related activities.

Wick, Walter Walter Wick's Optical Tricks
Presents a series of optical illusions and explains what is seen.

Wiese, Jim Spy Science: 40 secret-sleuthing, code-cracking, spy-catching activities for kids
Describes the skills, equipment, and techniques that spies use. Includes activities and experiments.

Wilcox, Charlotte Mummies and Their Mysteries
Discusses mummies found around the world, including Peru , Denmark , and the Italian Alps, and explains how studying them provides clues to past ways of life.

Wilkes, Angela Dazzling Disguises and Clever Costumes
Projects for creating a variety of disguises using false features, fake hair, and masks, as well as such costume items and accessories as hats, cloaks, swords, and fairy wands.

ESIs: Grades 5-6

J Fiction

Colfer, Eoin Artemis Fowl: the Eternity Code
In this 3 rd installment, young criminal mastermind Artemis steals fairy technology, constructs a supercomputer, saves the life of his trusty bodyguard, and enlists the help of his old rival Captain Holly Short of the LEOPrecon fairy police.

Cooper, Susan The Boggart and the Monster
The invisible and mischievous spirit living in the Scottish Castle Keep sets out to help save Nessie the Loch Ness Monster, one of its few remaining cousins.

DuPrau, Jeanne City of Ember
A futuristic novel set in an underground city with dwindling supplies. When 12-year-old Lina finds a torn document, she deciphers it and finds out about “unknown regions.”

Konigsburg, E. I. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Twelve-year-old Claudia and her younger brother Jamie run away from home to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and right into a mystery.

Morgenstern, Susie Secret Letters from 0 to 10
Ten-year-old Ernest lives a boring existence in Paris with his grandmother until a lively girl named Victory enters his class at school.

Smith, D. James The Boys of San Joaquin
During the summer of 1951, Paolo O'Neil helps uncover the thief who has been stealing from the local Catholic church

Snyder, Zilpha Keatley The Egypt Game
A group of children, entranced with the study of Egypt , play their own Egypt game, are visited by a secret oracle, become involved in a murder, and befriend the Professor before they move on to new interests, such as Gypsies.

Spalding, Andrea The White Horse Talisman
Canadian children visiting their British cousins get caught up in the reawakening of an ancient magical white horse.

Sreenivasan, Jyotsna The Moon Over Crete
In this unusual time-travel story Lily is transported to ancient Crete , where she experiences a culture in which women and men work together.

J Mysteries

American Girl History Mysteries
Girls from different periods of history solve mysteries

Balliett, Blue Chasing Vermeer
When strange and seemingly unrelated events start to happen and a precious Vermeer painting disappears, 11-year-olds Petra and Calder combine their talents to solve and international art scandal

Byars, Betsy Disappearing Acts
Herculeah stumbles onto the trail of her friend Meat's long-lost father while she and Meat are investigating the disappearance of a dead body from the men's room of a comedy club.

Finney, Patricia : The Lady Grace Mysteries
Thirteen-year-old Lady Grace Cavendish, favorite maid of honor of Elizabeth I , must solves mysteries.

Hamilton , Virginia The House of Dies Drear
An African-American family tries to unravel the secrets of their new home, which was once a stop on the Underground Railroad.

Holm and Hamel The Stink Files: The Postman Always Brings Mice
A dashing British feline spy is dismayed to find himself stranded in New Jersey and adopted by a typical suburban family, until he puts his skills to good use for his new human.

Horowitz, Anthony The Falcon's Malteser: a diamond brothers mystery
After his older brother, a fledgling private detective, agrees to safeguard a package for a dwarf who does not live ling, 13-year-old Nick scampers to solve the mystery while also trying to stay one step ahead of an assortment of thugs.

Kenny, Kathryn The Mysterious Code
Principal Stratton wants to get rid of all clubs in Sleepyside High School , including the Bob-Whites! The only way they can save their club is to prove that they help out other people, too. Trixie quickly comes up with a plan to host a benefit antique show and sale. But are the precious antiques in danger from thieves?

Obrist, Jurg Case Closed: 40 mini-mysteries for you to solve
Use visual clues and deductive reasoning to help Daisy and Ridley solve 40 puzzling mysteries.

Raskin, Ellen The Westing Game
The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance.

Skurzynksi, Gloria Wolf Stalker
Twelve-year-old Jack, his younger sister, and the family's teenage foster child Troy go to Yellowstone National Park , where Jack's mother, a wildlife veterinarian, is investigating the report that wolves reintroduced to the park have killed a dog there.

Yolen, Jane An Unsolved Mystery from History series
The Mary Celeste
Roanoke : the lost colony
The Salem Witch Trials

J Non-fiction

Allen, Thomas B. George Washington, Spymaster
This biography of George Washington focuses on his use of spies to gather intelligence that helped the colonies win the war.

Cobb, Vicki How to Really Fool Yourself: illusions for all your senses
Demonstrations accompanied by explanations illustrate how and why the senses can be fooled.

D'Aulaire, Ingri and Edgar Parin D”Aulaire D'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths
This classic collection of Greek myths includes the story of Theseus and the Minotaur

Evert, Laura Rocks, Fossils and Arrowheads
Introduces children to 15 common rocks and minerals, five kinds of fossils, and seven different arrowheads and artifacts.

Hinds, Kathryn The Celts of Northern Europe
Illustrated summary of what is known about the Celts.

Jackson, Donna, The Wildlife Detectives : how forensic scientists fight crimes against nature
Describes how the wildlife detectives at the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon, analyze clues to catch and convict people responsible for crimes against animals

Janeczko, Paul B. Top Secret: a handbook of codes, ciphers and secret writing
A handbook for the budding cryptographer including codes and ciphers, invisible inks, concealment techniques, spy stories, and some history.

Macauley, David The New Way Things Work
Illustrations introduce and explain the scientific principles and workings of hundreds of machines.

Oxlade, Chris The Mystery of UFOs
Discusses the phenomenon of unidentified flying objects, including notable sightings throughout history, and possible explanations for them.

Wick, Walter Walter Wick's Optical Tricks
Presents a series of optical illusions and explains what is seen.

Wiese, Jim Spy Science: 40 secret-sleuthing, code-cracking, spy-catching activities for kids
Describes the skills, equipment, and techniques that spies use. Includes activities and experiments.

Wilcox, Charlotte Mummies and Their Mysteries
Discusses mummies found around the world, including Peru , Denmark , and the Italian Alps, and explains how studying them provides clues to past ways of life.

Compiled by Irene Eriksson, May 2007

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