2019 Intermediate Nutmeg Books
Nominated for Grades 4-6
Can you read all ten?
The more books you read, the easier it will be to choose your favorite! It is also okay for you to have the books read to you - or do a family read aloud! We will have many copies of these books in the Media Center in September, and you can also find them in the public libraries this summer. If you need a checklist, just ask a librarian!
New This Year - Use the Reader Response Link to Share Your Opinion of Books As You Finish Them!
Awkward
Books fall... help arrives... bullies laugh and the embarrassed new girl pushes away the helper. She knew it was wrong, but it's too awkward to apologize. Little did Peppi know that this is just the beginning of a very awkward year of middle school. If you liked Real Friends, Drama, or Roller Girl - this might be a great book for you!
The Best Man
You're going to want to meet Archer, his entertaining family, and the bossy daughter of his mom's best friend, Lynette. He has a story to tell that starts and ends with a wedding... and is filled with laughter, a tear or two, school adventures and a few life lessons. Richard Peck is a master storyteller, and I wasn't able to put this one down!
The Blood Guard
The Blood Guard begins a new fantasy trilogy in an unusual way - Ronan's mom picks him up from school, and they are chased by assassins from the Bend Sinister, an ancient evil organization. Ronan finds out that his dad has been kidnapped and his mom has been living a double life as a member of the Blood Guard. Does he have the skills he needs to protect the Pure, and what does mom mean when she warns him to trust no one?
Fuzzy Mud
The woods on the walk home are off limits, totally forbidden, and a little bit scary.... but Marshall and Tamaya have to do something to avoid the bully that chases them so they take a shortcut. Tamaya is sure they'll get in trouble, but she has no idea how much... Mutant microbes are growing in the mud in the woods, the fuzzy mud, and their shortcut becomes a shortcut to disaster! If only they had stuck to the sidewalk...
A Handful of Stars
When Lily's dog, Lucky, runs away into the blueberry fields, Salma finds him and also finds a new friend in Lily. Friends are tough to make when you move all the time. Salma is the daughter of a migrant worker who came to the small town in Maine to pick blueberries - and Lily has fun sharing summer with her. All is peaceful until Salma enters the Blueberry Queen pageant, and the girls have to face some ugly truths about prejudice. A great summer read that will warm winter days as well.
The Hero Two Doors Down
When Jackie Robinson moved his family to Brooklyn so he could play for the Dodgers, not everyone was happy to see a black family move into the neighborhood. One family reached out, and eight year old Stephen was happy they did, because he got to be friends with his baseball hero. Read this story about a real friendship written by someone close to the action - Jackie Robinson's daughter.
Loot
March's dad, Alfie, is a jewel thief! The two of them travel all over the world together from job to job until their journey ends in Amsterdam. Alfie's last words are, "find jewels", and March is suddenly left alone in the world. Or so he thinks. This book is a desperate chase for money, family and a future, with a few exciting twists along the way.
Ms. Bixby's Last Day
Ms. Bixby is a favorite teacher, especially for the "Nerd Patrol", Topher, Steve and Brand. When she tells the kids that she cannot finish out the school year because she has cancer, they are devastated. The boys decide that they will give her the going away party of her dreams, no matter what it takes! Join them on their daring adventure to celebrate a special teacher.
Nine, Ten
We all know the story of September 11 and the planes that struck the World Trade Tower in New York City. We may even know people who were affected by the tragedy. But the kids in this book are from all over our country and they don't know what's coming, only that their families have things to deal with as they go through September. In this book, Nora Baskin brings the experiences of different American kids through three days of September.
Seven Dead Pirates
What's more fun than a ghost? A pirate ghost! Better yet, seven pirate ghosts! When Lewis moves into his great grandfather's old house, he discovers that he's not the only one living there... seven pirate ghosts are already there, and they want Lewis to be their friend!