A note to our readers:
Many of the books listed below are in the PS 87 Library.
The books that are not yet in our collection
can be found in the New York Public Library.
We encourage you to own your own NYPL Library card.
Top Ten Ways to Find a Good Book
1. Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover or title.
2. The description or blurb makes you want to read more.
3. Great beginnings - read the first sentence, paragraph, or page.
4. Pick by genre: I love a mystery, scary book, romance, adventure, sports story, etc.
5. There are more just like it! Look for books in a series.
6. Great author!
7. Do the Five Finger Test: Pick a page in the middle of the book and read. If you do not know a word, put a finger down.
If you end up with five fingers down, choose another book.
8. Any good books? Ask your teacher or Librarian for a "winner".
9. Saw the movie? Now read the book!
10. Ask your friends! Read any good books?
Series
Award Winners
The Newbery Medal was named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.
The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the ALA, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.
Recipients of this award are authors and illustrators of African descent whose distinguished books promote an understanding and appreciation of the "American Dream." The Award commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and honors his widow, Coretta Scott King, for her courage and determination in continuing the work for peace and world brotherhood.
The Pura Belpré Award is presented to a Latino/Latina writer and illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian from the New York Public Library. As a children's librarian, storyteller, and author, she enriched the lives of Puerto Rican children in the U.S.A. through her pioneering work of preserving and disseminating Puerto Rican folklore.
Lists of Recommended Books
Each year the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) identifies the best of the best in children's books, recordings, videos, and computer software.
From the New York Public Library:
When you follow this link you will find many wonderful lists that include the following subjects:
Children's Books 2003
Children's Books 2002
Off to School
Regreso a la Escuela: Back to School
"Love to Read" - Recommended Titles for the Third Grade
100 Favorite Children's Books
Children's Poems to Share
Celebrations-Holiday Reading
Celebrate African-American History Month
Celebrate Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month
Celebrate Christmas
Celebrate Columbus Day
Celebrate Halloween
Celebrate Hanukkah
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Celebrate Kwanzaa
Celebrate Thanksgiving
Celebrate Winter
Celebrate Women's History Month
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What to read after Harry Potter
Pure Fantasy
Alexander, L., 
The Prydian Chronicles
Babbitt, N., The Search for Delicious
Baldry, C., The Eaglesmount Triology (series)
Beagle, P., The Last Unicorn
Brennan, H., Faerie Wars
Breslin, T., The Dream Master
Buchwald, E., Gildaen: the heroic adventures of a most unusual rabbit
Christensen, J., Voyage of the Bassett
Ciencin, S., Dinotopia series (Lost City, Thunder Falls, Windchaser)
Collins, S., Green Boy
Crilley, M., Akiko on the Planet Smoo (series)
Dickenson, P., The Ropemaker
Durrell, G., The Fantastic Flying Journey
Edwards, J., The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles
Fletcher, S., Dragon's Milk; Flight of the Dragon Kyn; Sign of the Dove
Funke, C., Inkheart
Gurney, J. Dinotopia: a land apart from time; Dinotopia: the world beneath
Jacques, B., Redwall series
Lee, T., Wolf Tower
Lewis, C.S., The Chronicles of Narnia
McGraw, E., The Moorchild
Nicholson, W., The Wind Singer: An Adventure
Nix, G., Mister Monday
Paolilni, C., Eragon
Pullman, P. The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife
Regan, D., Princess Nevermore
Rodda, E., The Timekeeper; The Forests of Silence; Rowan of Rin
Snyder, Z., Black and Blue Magic
Tolkein, J.R.R., The Hobbit; The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
Wrede, P., Dealing with Dragons (series)
Yolen, J., Dragon's Blood: a Fantasy
Witches and Wizards
Bennett, A., Little Witch
Dahl, R., The Witches
Doyle, D., School of Wizardry
Jones, D.W., Howl's Moving Castle; Witch Week; Witch's Business
Le Guin, U.K., A Wizard of Earthsea (series)
Levy, R., The Misfit Apprentice
MacLachlan, P., Tomorrow's Wizard
McKillip, P., The Forgotten Beasts of Eld
Murphy, J., The Worst Witch Strikes Again
Nix, G., Sabriel
Norton, M., Bedknobs and Broomsticks
Pierce, T., Circle of Magic, The Circle Opens (series)
Stewart, M., The Little Broomstick
Van de Velde, V., A Hidden Magic; Magic Can Be Murder; Wizard at Work
Whitehead, V. The Chimney Witches
Woodruff. U., Catwitch
Yolen, J., Wizard's Map; Wizard's Hall
Zambreno, M.F., A Plague of Sorcerers; Journeyman Wizard
Muggles in Magical Situations
Aiken, J., Wolves of Willoughby Chase
Alexander, L., The Arkadians; Rope Trick
Avi, Midnight Magic
Baum, L.F., The Wizard of Oz
Bellairs, J., Trolley to Yesterday (many other titles)
Brittain, B., All the Money in the World
Brittain, B., The Wish Giver
Butterworth, O., The Enormous Egg
Cavanagh, H., The Last Piper
Conford, E. The Frog Princess of Pelham
Carroll, L., Alice in Wonderland
Cooper, S., The Boggart; The Boggart and the Monster
Dahl, R., James and the Giant Peach
Eager, E., Half Magic; Knight's Castle; Time Garden
Ende, M., The Neverending Story
Gliori, D., Pure Dead Magic (series)
Jones, D.W., Castle in the Air
Juster, N., The Phantom Tollbooth
L'Engle, M., A Wrinkle in Time
Levine, G., Ella Enchanted
Norton, M., Are all the Giants Dead?
Richler, M., Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang
Snyder, Z., Black and Blue Magic
Townley, R., The Great Good Thing: A Novel
Winthrop, E., The Castle in the Attic
The Chosen One
Avi, Perloo
Conford, E., A Royal Pain
Cooper, S. The Dark is Rising sequence (Over Sea, Under Stone; The Dark is Rising;
Greenwitch;. The Grey King; Silver on the Tree)
Farmer, N., The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm
Ibbotson, E., The Secret of Platform 13
Peel, J., 2009 series
Sacher, L., Marvin Redpost: Kidnapped at Birth?
Shan, D., Cirque Du Freak (series)
White, T.H., Sword in the Stone
Yolen, J., The Merlin Trilogy
Boarding Schools
Bronte, C., Jane Eyre
Bunting, E., Spying on Miss Muller
Conford, E., Dear Mom, Get Me Out of Here!
Creech, S.. Bloomability
Korman, G., This Can't Be Happening at MacDonald Hall
L'Engle, M., And Both Were Young
Nordstrom, U., The Secret Language
Page, K., Christie and Company (series)
Snicket, L., The Austere Academy (Series of Unfortunate Events)
For Younger Readers
Abbott, T., Secrets of Droon (series)
Koller, J.F., Dragonling (series)
McArthur, N., The Plant that Ate Dirty Socks
McMullan, K.H. The Dragon Slayers Academy (series)
Ray, K., The T.F. Letters
New York Books
Picture books
How Pizza Came to Queens Dayal Khalsa
Hessian's Secret Diary Lisa Banim
Tar Beach Faith Ringold
Chapter Books
The Cricket in Times Square George Selden
When Jessie Came Across the Sea Amy Hest
The Matchlock Gun Walter D. Edmonds
Farmer Boy L. I. Wilder
Hattie and the Wild Waves Barbara Cooney
Lyle Crocodile series Bernard Waber
Remember Me to Harold Square Paula Danziger
From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler E.L.Konigsburg
Run Baby Run Nicky Cruz
Cave Under the City Harry Mazer
Samantha: An American Girl series Valerie Tripp
Dreams in the Golden Country Kathryn Lasky
I Go with My Family to Grandma's House Diane Goode
Mandie & Jonathan's Predicament Lois Leppard
More All-of-a-kind Family Sydney Taylor
Remember Me to Harold Square Paula Danziger
Star Light, Star Bright Angela Hunt
Streets of Gold Karen Branson
A Sundae with Judy Frieda Friedman
Echohawk Lynda Durrant
Turtle Clan Journey Lynda Durrant
Adventures of Taxi Dog Baracca
Anastasia series Lowry
Annie's Choice Clara Gillow Clark
In the Year of the Boar & Jackie Robinson Lord
Indian Captive: the Story of Mary Jemison Lenski
It's Like This, Cat Neville
Leatherstocking Tales Cooper
Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle Irving
The Matchlock Gun Edmonds
My Side of the Mountain George
Pamela's First Musical Wasserstein
View from Sunday Konigsburg
We Lived in the Almont Clymer
Young Man in a Hurry Latham
Nothing to Fear Jackie French Koller
Me, Mop, and the Mondance Kid Walter Dean Myers
Voices After Midnight Richard Peck
Kelsey's Raven Sylvia Peck
Tails of the Bronx Jill Pinkwater
Abuela Arthur Dorros
Basket Moon Mary Lyn Ray
The Ice Horse Candace Christiansen
Hey, Al Arthur Yorinks
Duke Ellington: The Piano Prince and His Orchestra Andrea Davis Pinkney
Adventures of Taxi Dog Debra and Sal Barracca
The Story of the Statue of Liberty Betsy and Giulio Maestro
Abigail Takes the Wheel Avi
When Jessie Came Across the Sea Amy Hest
The Ghost of Peg-Leg Peter, and Other Stories of Old New York M. A. Jagendorf
Blizzard! the Storm that Changed America Jim Murphy
If you Lived 100 years ago Ann McGovern
The Mystery in New York Gertrude Chandler Warner
Alphabet City Ballet Tamar
Land of Hope Nixon
Raven In A Dove House Pinkney
The lists that follow will soon be added to.
Remember, this website is ALWAYS under construction!
Native American titles
GUESTS by Dorris
MORNING GIRL by Dorris
THE BIRCHBARK HOUSE by Erdrich
ARROW OVER THE DOOR by Bruchac
INDIAN SCHOOLS by Gloria Whelan
LEGEND OF THE BLUE BONNET by De Paola\
LEGEND OF T HE INDIAN PAINTBRUSH by De Paola
ISLAND OF THE BLUE DOLPHIN by O'Dell
WALK THE WORLD'S RIM by Baker
Immigrant titles
MEET KIRSTEN (American Girl Series)
ELLIS ISLAND CHRISTMAS by Leighton
LETTERS FROM RIFKA (Hesse)
WATCH THE STARS COME OUT by Levinson
IT'S ONLY GOOD-BYE by Gross
SAVE QUEEN SHEBA by Moeri
ALL OF A KIND FAMILY by Taylor
IN THE YEAR OF THE BOAR AND JACKIE ROBINSON by Lord
SMALL WOLF by Benchley
LONG WAY TO A NEW LAND by Sanders
ADELINE'S FALLING STARS by Osborne
MEMORY COAT (Easy book)
THE COURAGE OF SARAH NOBLE
MOLLY'S PILGRIM (by Cohen)
DEAR AMERICA SERIES (some are immigrant tales)
WHEN JESSIE COMES ACROSS THE SEA by Hest
GRANDFATHER'S JOURNEY by Say
