Don't let the size of the book scare you away...The Invention of Hugo Cabret is an amazingly illustrated book that goes hand-in-hand with a tantilizing story. It looks like a very long book but the text is broken up by pages of pictures that help tell the story. The black-and-white pictures that break up the text allow the reader to use their imagination and senses to fill in parts of the story. The book is suitable for intermediate readers and will captivate the imaginations of both children and adults alike. Definitely put this Caldecott winner on your reading list! The Invention of Hugo Cabret is one of the Rebecca Caudill Nominees for 2009.

It is 1953 and Penny Falucci is an 11 year old girl living with her mother and grandparents. Her father is dead, but his large Italian family is a huge part of her life. Penny feels trapped because she is still being treated like a child - she can't go to the pool or movie theatre because her mother is scared she will catch polio. Penny doesn't know how her father died and no one will tell her. Finally the secrets of her father's death come out in an eventful summer that ends with the unexpected. I really liked Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm because some of the characters reminded me of relatives in my Italian-American family.

Letters from Wolfie is a book that incorporates pulls at your heart strings and challenges your point of view. Mark's brother signs up for the Army and is sent to Vietnam. Mark feels shadowed by his brother's bravery and donates his beloved dog, Wolfie, to help the Army in Vietnam and assumes that his dog will be returned to him after his duty. This book does a great job illustrating the love between people and their pets and demonstrating how the nation was truly divided over the issue of the Vietnam War. This book would be an awesome choice for junior high students or for anyone studying the Vietnam War.

The Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages is the story of two girls who spend a year living in Los Alamos while their scientist parents work on a "gadget" that will end World War II. This book is suitable for older readers who know the background story of World War II. The unusual setting and colorful characters make this a great historical fiction read.

Do you like adventure stories? Do you like historical fiction? Then you will love The Black Duck by Janet Taylor Lisle. A teenage boy is trying hard to become a reporter so he decides to try and interview Ruben Hart. The reader is brought back in time to 1929 Rhode Island in the time of Prohibition, and this is where the adventure begins!

The nonstop adventure will keep junior high students reading this great book!

Moon has lived in the forest with his father for as long as he can remember. They find everything they need from the wilderness around them. When Moon's father dies, 10 year old Moon finds himself property of the state and a kid out-law. The book is about friendship, survival, and the sometimes thin line between right and wrong. I loved the descriptions of how Moon and his father survived in the wilderness. It was very interesting to see how they used the natural resources around them. Alabama Moon by Watt Key is a real adventure story!

This book is a 2009 Rebecca Caudill Nominee.

After tragedy strikes on the wagon trail and his Pa runs off, Colton Wescott is desperately trying to find a solution to his family's problems. When he sees a sign for the Pony Express, he thinks he has the solution. Black Storm Comin' by Diane Lee Wilson is the story Colton Wescott and his adventures with the Pony Express. It is a great historical fiction book and one of the nominees for the Rebecca Caudill award. I really enjoyed the realistic story as well as the colorful characters.

Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson is another book on the 2009 Rebecca Caudill Nominee list. This historical novel, set in 1918, is the story of Hattie Brooks and her determination to make it as a homesteader. Hattie grew up in Iowa raised by random relatives because of the early death of her parents. At 16, she receives a letter from an uncle in Montana who left Hattie all his land when he fell ill. She packs up and moves out West by herself.

This book was very interesting to read because you learn a lot of "tricks of the trade" of farming. You also gain a great appreciation for the folks that settled the West and today's farmers. By reading this book, you understand the hard life these people endure.

Definitely check this one out!